Advanced Relativity
by johnny3gud
Summary: Returning home from Sinnoh, Ash finds himself unsure what to do next. Struggling with Brock's departure, as well as some newly discovered emotions, he embarks on a new adventure in Unova with May. Together, along with new friends and enemies, they will face challenges they never could have imagined, in battles, life, and themselves.
1. Terminus

**Author's Note: **I have quite a bit more to say about what's going on with this story than is reasonable for me to post here as an author's note. If you're interested, it's posted in my profile. If you aren't, the story begins below.

I hope you're ready. It's going to be a long, strange trip.

* * *

><p><span>Advanced Relativity<span>

Chapter One – Terminus

"Hey Dawn! No need to worry!"

Ash leaned over the railing at the stern of the ship, waving goodbye to Dawn and Piplup. Pikachu sat atop his shoulder, and Brock stood at his side, both doing the same. As the separation between the ship and the dock grew ever greater, Dawn and Piplup faded into the distance. Along with them, so did the continent of Sinnoh. The journey was over.

Although Ash's choice of farewell words seemed so simple, they signified something far greater. This was the end.

The cool sea breeze tossed about Ash's hair. He removed his cap and ran his fingers through the mess on his head. He and Brock stood quietly, watching the waves. Neither one wanted to speak. Wedged uncomfortably between them was an unspoken certainty. Both knew the truth of the situation.

This really was the end.

* * *

><p>That night, the two lay in adjacent beds in their moonlit cabin, the pleasant air drifting in through an open window. It had been such an awkward day. No matter how many times he started over, Ash never found it any easier to leave behind his friends. This time, he was going to have to leave behind perhaps his closest friend of all – except for Pikachu, of course.<p>

It had been a week, perhaps a little more, since Brock announced that he was giving up traveling and enrolling in medical school. When they parted ways tomorrow at the crossroads in Kanto, it was really going to be the last time. It wasn't going to be the first time Brock left, but Ash knew that this time it was going to be for real. Brock came back after vowing to stay with Professor Ivy, he came back when he left after the journey in Johto, and he came back again in Sinnoh. This time, there would be no comeback. Why? It was because for once, Brock finally had a commitment in his life. He had found his calling, it seemed.

Ash preferred not to think about it, but sleep wasn't coming easily tonight. There had been too much going on recently. There was too much on his mind. He sighed.

"So you're not asleep, either, huh?" said Brock.

Ash jumped beneath the sheets. He had no idea Brock had been awake. He hadn't been that loud, had he?

"No," said Ash, trying not to sound startled. He watched as Brock sat up. "What's up?"

"Both of us, apparently," Brock grumbled, rubbing his eyes. "But I've been thinking about a lot of things."

"Me too," said Ash.

"It was a tough day," Brock said.

"Yeah, it was."

"Well, what's bugging you?"

Ash, in all honesty, wasn't interested in discussing it.

"Eh, it's nothing really."

"Yeah, __sure__," Brock replied, heavy on the sarcasm. "I know you better than that."

"You do," Ash said, sighing again. He was concerned for a moment, wondering if Brock was going to pry further. Brock, of course, was much savvier than to try such an obvious tactic.

"I've gotta tell ya, though, this med school thing is kind of scary," Brock said, continuing. "It's going to be a big change. I know it won't be easy."

Ash could tell that Brock was being completely serious. Out of respect, Ash said nothing. He didn't want to sound stupid. He had never had a way with words.

"I hope I'm not getting in over my head, though. Not all changes are bad."

_Change_. That was a word that really bugged Ash. Of course not all changes were bad, but some were, weren't they? Throughout all of Ash's journeys, there were two things that had been nearly constant – Pikachu and Brock. Pikachu had obviously been briefly kidnapped hundreds of times, but there had only been a handful of times when Pikachu had been gone for longer than a few hours. Brock, on the other hand, had been absent for the entire journey through the Orange Islands. Aside from then, and a couple of short absences in Hoenn and Sinnoh, Brock had always been there.

Starting tomorrow, that wasn't going to be the case anymore.

Ash didn't like it at all.

"Not all changes are good, either," Ash quietly said, breaking an extended silence.

"That's very true," said Brock, with a solemn nod. "But, as Dawn would always say, there's no need to worry."

Ash raised an eyebrow at Brock. This was as odd a time as ever to use Dawn's catchphrase.

"Why?" Ash asked.

"Because there's no sense in worrying about it. Nothing good can come from worrying about it. When you get home, I'm sure you'll be heading off on another adventure soon enough, and when you do, I'm sure you'll meet lots of new people and Pokémon. You always do."

What Brock was saying was absolutely right, Ash figured. It had always worked that way. Every time he went home, he was out the door as quickly as he came, with a new destination in mind.

"Do you think you'll go on another journey once you get home?" Brock asked.

"Yeah, I guess," Ash shrugged. "I haven't really thought about it."

"You'll have plenty of time to figure it out. Plenty of help, too. I'm sure Professor Oak can give you some direction."

"Yeah."

Again, Ash knew that Brock was almost certainly right. He knew that Professor Oak would be overjoyed to give him another upgraded Pokédex and send him on his way to another far-flung land, gathering new data. It wasn't Professor Oak's help that Ash was concerned about, though. It was Brock's.

Even though he was as dense as lead, the lessons of the past several years echoed loudly in Ash's head. On several nightmarish occasions, Brock had been injured or taken ill while they were out in the wilderness. Each time, Ash and the rest of the traveling party had quickly learned just how much they depended on Brock. The uncomfortable truth was that they relied on him far more than they should. The last time Brock was incapacitated, the ensuing disaster prompted Ash and Dawn to learn some basic cooking and first aid skills. Prior to that? They knew nothing.

It was a simple and uncomfortable truth – Brock was the foundation which had held the group together for so many years. He didn't talk as much as the others, he wasn't as energetic or reckless, and he was rarely on the front lines of the battle. Instead, he had quietly toiled away for years, always making sure the group was fed, sheltered, healthy, and headed in the right direction.

And for the first time, Ash cared.

For the first time, Ash really did have something to worry about. There _was_ need to worry.

"You know, I wish I could stay," said Brock.

"But I thought you decided on your own that you wanted to become a Pokémon doctor," Ash replied, rather puzzled.

"I did," said Brock, nodding in confirmation. "But, I made that decision because I also know that it's time for me to settle down. I can't stay on the road forever."

Ash wondered. Could _he _stay on the road forever?

"But Brock," said Ash, "how do you know that?"

"It's just a feeling I've got. It's been in the back of my mind for a while now, slowly working its way to the surface. I've reached a time in my life when I would rather stay home and focus on the future than be out on the road."

Ash didn't like the sound of that at all.

"Do you think I'll ever feel that way? That I'll ever decide I'd rather stay home?"

Brock shrugged.

"I don't know. Even though we've been friends for so long, we're very different people. Your goals are better suited for a life on the road. Mine are better for staying put. I've known for a long time that I wanted to spend my life helping Pokémon. It was only during our time in Sinnoh that I finally realized how I wanted to do it."

As always, Brock had a point. It would be far easier for Brock to be a breeder – or now, a doctor – if he stayed in one place most of the time. As for being a master? That pretty much demanded a life on the road. Ash figured he was okay with that.

But then, Brock threw him a curve ball.

"It's good to hear you asking questions like this," said Brock.

"What?" Ash immediately asked back.

"I mean, it's good to see you doing some introspection, for a change."

Ash gave Brock a terribly confused look.

"Doing some intro... intro-what?"

"Introspection. Doing some deep thinking about yourself. Self-examination."

"Uh... okay?"

Ash didn't even know how to respond. Was Brock complimenting him? Why was thinking about all this stuff so important? He would honestly rather not talk about it at all.

"I figured you would be a bit confused," said Brock, with a knowing look on his face.

"You've got that right," said Ash, acting every bit the part.

"This is exactly why I wish I could stay longer."

"What is?"

"You being confused about all this stuff. I can easily teach you how to build a fire, set up camp, do first aid, and all that. It's much harder to teach someone how to grow up, to be an adult. Maybe it's impossible."

Ash said nothing, but rather stared at Brock with his mouth open.

"Whether or not you realize it, you're almost an adult. You've grown up a lot since I first met you in Pewter City. You've really matured these past couple of years, and that's good. I've done the best I can to help you. You're almost there."

Ash remained dumbfounded. Where had all this come from?

"That's why I wish I could stay for a while longer, to help you the rest of the way. But honestly, I think I have a little more growing up to do for myself."

The room was still, save for the light ocean breeze coming through the window. Gentle waves could be heard from outside, but nothing more.

Ash tried to listen for the sound of his mind breaking, but he couldn't hear it. Brock had never said anything like this before. Why now? What was he talking about?

"There's only so much I can teach you, I'm afraid," said Brock, sounding apologetic. "There's still a lot about growing up that I haven't figured out for myself. I think being on the road for so long is part of that, and that's one of the reasons I'm going to stay home this time. Maybe I can figure out how to be responsible with other people and how to have real relationships. Or maybe I won't. Who knows?"

"But you _are _responsible," Ash urged.

"I left behind nine brothers and sisters so I could travel and have fun, Ash," Brock said.

Ash stayed quiet. He couldn't argue with that point.

"And I'm supposedly a grown man, yet I've never even had a girlfriend, and that's not for lack of trying."

Another point that Ash couldn't argue, but why did that matter? Why did any of it matter? Ash wasn't sure he would have survived his adventures without Brock's help. In fact, without Brock, he almost certainly would have starved. He could still remember the day when Brock appeared out of nowhere to save him, and May and Max, from a group of wild Taillow. They were out of food and out of luck. Didn't that rescue count as responsibility?

And again, why did never having a girlfriend matter? Ash had never had one either, and it didn't bother him at all. Brock had always cared more about that kind of stuff, so it wasn't too surprising he would be concerned about it, but why was it so important?

For lack of anything better to say, Ash resorted to his basic response to Brock's continual plight.

"You'll find a girl eventually, Brock. You'll be okay."

Ash was well aware of how empty those words were. Apparently Brock was, too.

"I'm not so sure," said Brock. "Everyone always tells me that I just haven't found the right one yet, but I've found hundreds, maybe thousands, and it's never worked out. But you, on the other hand..."

Ash gave Brock an inquisitive look. What was the deal with that awkward trail-off?

"What about me?"

"As far as I know, dating has never been on your mind," said Brock. "And even so, you've had more girls interested in you than have ever been interested in me. But you weren't interested at all! Don't mind me saying that I'm a little jealous. Maybe a _lot_ jealous."

Wait. Wait wait wait wait wait.

Ash had a weird feeling in his chest. His heart rate sped up.

Girls were interested in him?

Since when?

"Wh-what are you talking about?" Ash stammered.

"It's true," said Brock, nodding. "We've met a lot of girls who liked you."

"You mean... _liked _me?" asked Ash.

"Yes."

"Who?"

"I'm not really obliged to say," said Brock, excusing himself. "It's not my place to tell you."

Ash looked around the room, dumbstruck. Was this some kind of prank? It wasn't like he cared, because he wasn't interested, but how could this have been going on without him knowing about it?

"_What?_" he spat out, rather loudly.

"I figured you'd just shrug it off," said Brock, seeming a little worried. "I guess I shouldn't have brought it up."

"Seriously, who?"

"Again, not my place to tell you," said Brock. "It doesn't matter, anyway. None of the girls who liked you are here anymore."

Yet another point Ash couldn't argue. It was just him, Brock, and Pikachu, and soon it would be just him and Pikachu.

"Eh, I guess you're right," Ash said, giving Brock a wary glance.

Really, why bother naming names? It wasn't like he was interested in all that dating stuff, anyway. Ash figured it was just curiosity that made him want to know. After all, this was really, really weird.

"Yeah, don't worry about it," said Brock. "I'll figure it all out one day. Maybe, if you want to, you will, too."

As weird as the day had been, and especially the last five minutes of their conversation, Ash couldn't help but crack a small smile at Brock's reassurance.

Without a doubt, he would miss that the most.

"Thanks, Brock," Ash said.

"Don't mention it," Brock replied, waving him off. He let loose a great yawn. "I think that's probably enough for one evening."

Brock lay back down in his bed. Ash gazed at him for a spare moment, in honest admiration. Whether or not he had realized it, Brock was his mentor – not just in Pokémon, but in life.

"I really mean it," Ash said, this time more serious. "Thank you for everything."

"Hmm?"

Brock looked up at Ash.

"I mean it. You've done so much for me," Ash continued. "I don't know how to thank you."

Brock smiled.

"Hearing you say that is its own reward."

* * *

><p>Ash could finally see it. Up ahead was an all-too-familiar fork in the road, with a similarly familiar signpost. The end was here.<p>

The duo remained silent as they approached it. Before them, the road split in three directions, just as the sign indicated. One road led north to Pewter City, and another led south to Viridian City, and then Pallet Town. A third path, one that would go unused today, led east to Cerulean City. When Ash and Brock reached the great divide, both bowed their heads.

"Well, here it is," said Ash.

"Here it is..." repeated Brock.

There was a long silence. Pikachu sat atop Ash's shoulder, and mirrored the two trainers' emotions. Everyone present could remember the first parting at this landmark.

"I remember the first time we were here," said Brock.

"Me too," said Ash. "I'll never forget it."

In unison, without even discussing it, both trainers turned and looked down the winding path that led to Cerulean City.

"That was a long time ago," said Brock.

"Yeah..."

Growing restless, Ash looked down the other paths. At this distance, none of them seemed to lead to where they were purported to go. Both the paths to Pewter and Cerulean headed ambiguously toward the mountains. The southward path led away from them. There was nothing noteworthy about this place, except for the memories.

Ash didn't like this place very much.

He wasn't sure how long he stared down the southward path. He remembered the day he parted with Brock and Misty all too well. It was one of the first times he realized how much he needed his friends – not just for support, but for survival. Were it not for Brock's boxed lunch (with matching cutlery) and Misty's handkerchief, he wasn't sure he ever would have made it out of Team Rocket's trap.

Then, like a scene from a memory, Brock was handing him something. It was a boxed lunch.

"With matching cutlery," Brock said proudly.

"Thanks," Ash said, graciously accepting it. It wasn't like he had anything to eat in his backpack. There was no guarantee he would make it home before night.

"Just like the first time, we've reached the last time," said Brock. "And the cycle completes."

Ash looked intently at Brock's final gift. It was hard to see, mostly because of all the water in his eyes.

"Did you put onions in this?" Ash asked meekly.

"Not this time," said Brock.

Ash swallowed, hard. Now was not the time for tears. He rubbed his eyes briefly, and turned to face Brock. He felt far less ashamed when he saw Brock wiping his own eyes.

The two smiled sadly at each other.

"Time to go."

Ash swallowed again. How could such a simple phrase stir so much emotion? Why did every single word seem so much more important all of the sudden?

Why did this have to be so hard?

Perhaps, he figured, it didn't have to be.

With as much courage as Ash could muster, he proudly extended his hand to Brock.

"Pokémon Doctor Brock," he said.

Brock gladly accepted Ash's gesture.

"You can do it," Ash said, firmly shaking Brock's hand.

"Pokémon Master Ash, you can too."

* * *

><p>Ash passed through Viridian City late in the afternoon. It was several more hours to home from there, but he didn't see any good reason to stay the night for such a short trip the next day. Arriving home late at night would be just fine, he figured. Besides, the early evening road was very pleasant and calm.<p>

Really, it was too calm for Ash's liking. There had always been chatter when he was with his friends. Now, it was just him and Pikachu. Pikachu was great, but it was tough to have a real conversation. They could both understand each other to a degree, but it wasn't the same as human companionship. Still, it was far better than nothing.

"Remember our first time on this road, Pikachu?"

Pikachu replied in the affirmative.

Ash wasn't sure where he intended to take the conversation from there. Just like the crossroads, he wasn't too fond of this place, either. He was nearly killed here. He released Pidgeot here. And this was where he had met Misty. There were a lot of memories here. He was getting kind of sick of memories.

"I sure remember it," Ash said wistfully. "A lot has happened since then. We've come so far. It's incredible. I wonder where we'll go next?"

Pikachu clearly had no idea. Neither did Ash.

Ash continued to ponder their future, but something on the horizon caught his eye.

"Hey, is that-"

"PiPi-kachu!"

Ash recognized that phrase, if only because he had heard Pikachu use it hundreds of times.

It meant "Team Rocket."

Far off in the distance, he could see them, walking steadily in his direction.

"Get ready, Pikachu."

And not a moment too soon.

"Listen, is that a lone twerp's voice I hear?"

"It's speaking to me, loud and clear!"

"On the wind!"

"Past the stars!"

"In yo ear!"

"Bringing chaos at a breakneck pace!"

"Dashing hope, putting fear in its place!"

"A rose by any other name is just as sweet!"

"When everything's worse, our work is complete!"

"Jessie!"

"And it's James!"

"And Meowth, now dat's a name!"

"Putting the do-gooders in their place!"

"Team Rocket..."

"We're in your face!"

"Wobbuffet!"

"Mime-mime!"

Ash, by this point, had instinctively pulled out a Pokéball in defense, and now Torterra stood next to him on the road. Just like Pikachu, Torterra had seen this routine far too many times, and growled at the advancing miscreants.

Despite seeing them hundreds of times, Ash was put off by their behavior today. They were just walking towards him. There were no crazy machines. No disguises. No balloon. It was just them. And they were... waving?

"What do you want, Team Rocket?" Ash bellowed at them.

They continued towards him. They were... smiling?

That couldn't be good.

Could it?

"All alone today, huh?" James inquired upon getting into vocal range.

Ash didn't answer. There was no sense in giving these creeps the satisfaction of an answer.

"You can drop those defenses of yours!" Jessie called out. "We're not interested in you today!"

"And we ain't interested in any of yo Pokémon, either! Not even Pikachu!" Meowth added, sounding positively jovial.

"Wha..." Ash mouthed quietly. He knew better than to believe this. Pikachu hopped off his shoulder and began charging electricity in his cheeks.

"Don't attack!" James cried out. "We're not here to harm you!"

"Or take any of your Pokémon!" said Jessie.

"It's true!" said Meowth.

"Then what are you here for?" Ash demanded. "Tell me why I shouldn't send you flying!"

"We're on our way to Viridian City!" Jessie said, her voice absolutely dripping with joy.

"We gotta call from da boss!" said Meowth. Stars could practically be seen in his eyes.

"We're getting a promotion!" exclaimed James.

"What?!" Ash belted out, astonished. Pikachu and Torterra were similarly startled.

The trio huddled together, melodramatically crying.

"After all these years of endless toil..." Jessie sobbed.

"We're finally going to get the recognition we've worked so hard for!" James swooned.

"It's our big day at last!" Meowth cheered.

Of all the absurd excuses Team Rocket had given Ash over the years, none of them were as crazy as what he was hearing now. Never, literally never, in all these years had Team Rocket succeeded at anything. They seemed to defy the laws of physics and the basic capacities of the human body on a near-daily basis, but other than that, they were a pack of worthless losers. How could they possibly get a promotion? Were the team's standards that low?

"That sounds unlikely to me," Ash said, honestly.

"It certainly does!" said James, exceedingly chipper. "But it's true! We got a phone call yesterday! From the boss himself!"

"All those times you've sent us flying are about to pay off!" said Jessie.

"We're gonna have bigga and betta things to worry about den you, twoip!" said Meowth. "We've paid our dues! Now, we're gonna make it big time!"

"A pay raise!"

"All-expenses-paid vacations!"

"All da food we can eat!"

Again, the trio huddled together, this time openly weeping.

"So, this is goodbye, twerp," James said, pulling himself together.

Ash was dumbfounded once again.

"Uh..." he grunted, lost for words.

"This is the end, our twerpy friend," Jessie said. Incredibly awkwardly, she patted Ash on the head.

Immediately, Ash ripped his hat off and began inspecting it for damage.

"Dere'll be no more Pikachu huntin'..." lamented Meowth.

"No more fancy robots," said James.

"No more pitfall traps," said Jessie.

"Our time chasing you is through," said James. He extended a hand to Ash.

Ash looked at it warily.

James looked sincere, almost as if he would miss the old times.

"I hope you understand if I don't shake your hand," said Ash.

James seemed hurt, but he nodded and withdrew his gesture.

"Absolutely," he said, bittersweet.

"So, dat's dat," said Meowth.

"Farewell!" they all cheered.

"Wobbuffet!"

"Mime-mime!"

They all ran past Ash, and Pikachu, and Torterra. They never turned around. Ash watched them until they disappeared from sight.

They had looked happy.

Ash wasn't sure what to make of it. He wasn't sure he ever would. For his own safety, he veered off the road for a couple of miles, just to make sure there were no traps in the road. He never found one.


	2. Wanderlust

Chapter Two – Wanderlust

The scene upon his arrival at home made Ash question what his mother's daily routine was like. It was well past ten o'clock, but she had dinner waiting for him. As she explained to him, she had prepared it just in case he arrived tonight instead of tomorrow like he had originally planned. Ash appreciated his mother's efforts, without a doubt, but he honestly found it kind of sad.

Delia Ketchum seemed quite content to just sit and watch her boy eat. Even a pleasure so simple as this, something that many would consider weird, was a treasure to her. At the age of ten, Ash left. He would come back every now and then, always so different from before. She would give him a new change of clothes, and he would promptly be out the door again, gone for a year, or usually much more. Such was the life she lived.

It was so odd, the way a parent's life eventually ceases to intersect with the life of their child. This house, for Ash, had become nothing more than a rest stop on the road to bigger and better things. This house was a gas station of the road of life. Delia was Ash's mother, but she was merely the station's attendant.

She loved the boy, yes, and strongly desired to know all about the things that had happened to him since he last departed. But tonight, it was much too late. Ash had spent the entire day en route, and he wished to retire to bed after his meal.

Delia obliged.

Ash found his bedroom much the same as he had left it. It hadn't been lived in by anyone in years. Despite this, it was well-kept. The surfaces were free of dust, and his bedsheets smelled fresh. He wondered if his mother cleaned in here regularly or if she had merely prepared for his arrival. He wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer.

He also wasn't sure why sleep wasn't coming easily yet again tonight. His meal sat heavily in his stomach. Normally, that would be cause enough for him to drift off into slumber. Pikachu snoozed comfortably, but Ash couldn't find a suitably soft spot on the bed. He forcefully sat up, deeply frustrated. A troubling question lingered:

Now what?

* * *

><p>When Ash awoke the next morning, he was surprised to find that he had ever fallen asleep. He was hunched over the surface of a cold desk. His rear end felt uncomfortably numb, having spent the night on an unforgiving wooden chair. Pikachu had been given the whole bed to himself.<p>

The smell of another meal was what woke Ash. The sun was barely up, yet his mother was dutifully at work, preparing breakfast. Again, Ash relished his mother's cooking, but this time he had the sense to stick around after the meal. He talked to his mother for hours. He introduced her to all of his Sinnoh Pokémon. He showed her each badge, and told her the story of how he had earned it. He told her about meeting Cynthia and fighting Team Galactic, about Dawn's contests and their brief reunion with May, about Paul and Chimchar, and about that one funny time that a Mismagius fooled all of them by making their dreams into reality. He told her so much.

And then, he told her that he was going to leave.

"I know," Delia said.

"You do?"

"Yep!" Delia replied with a nod. "I knew there was no way you would be staying here. I've even got new clothes for you. Those old ones are looking pretty worn out."

Ash appreciated it. He had been rapidly outgrowing his clothes for some time now. His pants were getting to be too short.

"Do you know where I'm going?" Ash asked her, wondering if his mother could see the future. He definitely didn't know where he was going.

"No," Delia replied, shaking her head. "Where?"

"That's the thing," Ash said, "I don't know, either."

"You should probably figure that out before you go," his mother recommended.

"Do you know if Professor Oak is around? I'd like to talk to him. I think maybe he'll have an idea where I should go."

"I'm sure he's around. He's usually in his lab at this time of day. I bet he'd be glad to have you pay him a visit."

Ash thanked his mother and made his way a few blocks down the street to Oak's laboratory. As he walked, he wondered. How was his mother so sure the professor would be there? Were they planning something? It wasn't out of the question. They had thrown surprise parties for him before.

He quickly found there was no surprise party waiting for him, but Professor Oak and Tracey were pleased to see him nonetheless. There was cursory smalltalk about Ash's recently completed journey, but Ash was keen to push forward, and he did. Just as expected, Oak had an idea.

"Unova," Professor Oak said.

Ash repeated the strange word.

"Unova..." Ash said, a sense of wonder evident in his voice. "Where's that?"

"It's quite far away," Oak explained. "Much further away than Hoenn or Sinnoh. It's almost on the other side of the world from here."

"But why there if it's so far?"

"Because!" Oak said, excitedly holding up a finger. "I have an acquaintance there with whom I would like to work more closely."

"Another Pokémon professor," Tracey added.

"Her name is Professor Juniper," said Oak. "I met her at a conference in Goldenrod City. I told her all about your wild adventures. She seemed very intrigued."

"What did you tell her?" Ash asked, somewhat puzzled.

"I told her about how you've had an extraordinary number of encounters with extraordinary Pokémon - extraordinarily rare, one-of-a-kind, _legendary _Pokémon."

Ash thought about that for a moment. He wasn't sure he liked that he was being advertised based on his incredible luck, but he couldn't deny that what Oak was saying was true. Ash remembered poor Eusine from Johto. That strange man had spent a decade hunting down Suicune. Ash had no idea if he ever succeeded. However, in a little more than half that time, Ash had seen _dozens_ of legendary Pokémon, often with no intent of encountering them.

"Well, I guess I _am_ kinda lucky with that," Ash said bashfully.

"It's not just luck," said Oak. "It's a rare gift."

"A gift?"

"Pokémon have a natural affinity for you, Ash."

"A what?"

"An affinity," Oak clarified. "They naturally come to you. You're like a magnet for Pokémon, especially the rare ones."

Once again, Ash didn't like his tendency to find rare Pokémon being discussed like an asset. He took issue with it.

"So, does this new professor only want to meet me because I've seen a lot of rare Pokémon? Is that it?"

"Well, sort of," Oak cautiously continued. He knew exactly the right button to push, though. "She is also interested in your powerful abilities as a trainer. She believes that your skills may be of assistance to her research."

Immediately, Ash's face lit up. He was far too easy to win over.

"For those reasons and others, Professor Juniper would like to meet you."

Ash liked the part about his skills as a trainer, but he wasn't quite convinced.

"I'm not going to have to help her in the lab or anything, am I?" he asked, sounding wary. "There's no way I'm wearing a lab coat and running experiments!"

"No, of course not!" Oak replied. "All Professor Juniper needs you to do is travel through Unova and meet lots of Pokémon. You'll be able to do your normal thing."

"Do they have Pokémon gyms there?"

"Of course, yes! If you want to, you'll have another chance for a fresh start, just like when you went to Hoenn and Sinnoh."

Ash was grinning. He looked at Pikachu.

"What do you think, buddy?"

Pikachu was ready.

Ash wasn't sure about himself, though.

"Hmm..." Ash hummed, pondering something.

Professor Oak and Tracey watched him expectantly.

"What do you say?" Tracey asked. "Will you go?"

Ash gave both Oak and Tracey a firm look in the eyes.

"I'll think about it," he said.

The duo frowned. Ash wasn't usually indecisive about going on an adventure. How long would he need to think?

Looking like an ironic caricature of himself, Ash held his chin between his thumb and index finger, deep in thought.

"How fast can I get there?" he asked.

* * *

><p>Ash agreed to Professor Oak's offer, and with the professor's help he had secured a flight to Unova just three days from now, but there was still something amiss. He went with Pikachu to the south shores of the town, looking for a peaceful place to think. There, he watched the tide. Gazing at the water reminded him of his departure from Sinnoh. He wondered what Brock and Dawn were doing right now. They probably weren't wandering around and thinking like he was, he figured.<p>

He wished he could be with either one of them right now, rather than alone. Really, he would rather have been with any of his friends than be alone. He liked the idea of traveling, and he had set off alone before, but that was before he realized how much he needed his friends.

And really, he admitted to himself, he had kind of expected Brock to pop up again in both Hoenn and Sinnoh.

Obviously, that wasn't happening this time.

Would he make new friends in Unova? Almost certainly. It wouldn't be the same, though. The experience wouldn't be the same without Brock there, guiding the way.

_Experience. _Ash held onto the thought.

Experience in the field. Experience traveling. That's what he needed. Someone who was experienced.

Ash's brain began ticking faster and faster. He had an idea. If Brock couldn't come along, why not invite another former traveling partner?

But then, as he considered his list of former traveling friends, he felt like the idea hit a brick wall. Brock was obviously not an option, but the rest...

There was Misty, but she had taken over running the Cerulean City Gym.

There was Tracey, who was Professor Oak's assistant, and he had made clear his intent to stay and keep his position.

There were May and Max. May was in Johto performing in contests, and Max had dreams of going on his own Pokémon journey when he was old enough, which would be very soon.

And there was Dawn, who had a modeling gig with Buneary, which had prevented her from coming with him to Kanto.

Could he get anyone to go with him?

Out of all those options, only one seemed feasible – May.

She might still be in Johto, sure, but what if she was back? She might be looking for something to do. Perhaps she would be looking for a new region to explore. Maybe she would be interested in going on a new journey.

Or, then again, maybe not. She was with friends in Johto. Well, actually, that was only true if you could consider Drew, Harley, and Solidad to be her friends. When Ash had last seen them, Solidad was at best May's rival, Harley was an antagonizing nuisance, and Drew was...

Ash didn't know what Drew was.

No matter. May was definitely his best shot.

* * *

><p>He found it.<p>

A crumpled, beaten, worn, water-damaged scrap of paper.

Ash looked at the horrid thing. It had been folded, smashed, partially torn, submerged, dried out, sandblasted, and half-eaten, yet he still had it. Buried long-forgotten in the bottom of his old Hoenn backpack, he found it.

It was May's phone number.

He couldn't believe his luck. May wrote it down for him shortly before she and Max went home after the Ever Grande Conference. Ash kept it in his backpack until he got a new one when he went to Sinnoh. It endured the bumpy ride all through the Battle Frontier, and then it was forgotten in a musty closet for nearly two years. And yet, here it was. The numbers were faded, but legible.

Eagerly, Ash sat down at his mother's video phone.

He really hoped May was home.

…

…

…

…

"Hello?"

A vaguely familiar voice came in on the other end. The video stream struggled to load, and he couldn't put a face to the voice.

"Hello! This is Ash, calling from Pallet Town!"

"Ash?" the voice asked.

"Yeah, Ash."

Finally, the video stream came in.

It was Caroline.

"Ash!" she exclaimed, finally realizing the caller's identity. May's mother beamed back at him from thousands of miles away. "It's been such a long time! How have you been?"

"Good!" Ash replied. "I've been good. I went to Sinnoh and challenged the Pokémon league there."

"Yes, May told me," said Caroline. "She told me she had a great time when she visited you there."

"Really?" Ash said, rather surprised to be hearing about that from May's mother, of all people. "I'm glad she did. I had fun, too."

"Wonderful," Caroline said, with a pleasant nod. "So, what's the occasion? Are you looking for May?"

Ash hadn't considered how awkward it would be to call someone's house, looking specifically for a girl, and then get her mother on the phone. He felt an internal twinge when Caroline got directly to the point.

"Um, yes, I am," he said, beginning to feel unsure of himself.

"Well, when she gets back from Johto, it won't be a problem, but she's not here right now. She's not scheduled to come into port until tomorrow."

Caroline said it like an apology, but Ash felt like he had hit an insane stroke of luck.

"She gets back tomorrow? That's perfect!" he said. "When she gets home, will you let her know I called? I need to talk to her."

"I'll let her know as soon as I can," Caroline told him. "Might I ask what you're calling about?"

"I just need to ask her a question."

Ash had hoped to dodge around the point. This call was already awkward enough. He knew that Caroline was nice, and she seemed to like him, but he realized that from her side of the screen this had to seem suspiciously like he was trying to ask out her daughter. That wasn't the intent at all! Of course, Ash's response only made things seem more suspicious.

Caroline gave him a sly, knowing look. It made Ash's eyes widen.

"I'll let her know," she said, in a tone that Ash had no chance of reading. "Take care."

"Thanks, you too."

_-click-_

…

* * *

><p>Dinner came and went, and Ash found himself no closer to an answer. It was making him impatient. It was bad to have no ideas at all, but he felt that waiting for an answer was worse. There would be no word from May until tomorrow at the earliest, and even then she might decline his offer.<p>

Until then, all he could do was prepare.

He scoured his old traveling gear for useful items. There was nothing to be found. It looked like May's phone number was the last hidden treasure he would find buried in his room. His Sinnoh backpack, though, could be emptied. He had a new one now. New clothes, too.

He put on his new outfit. It reminded him strongly of his Hoenn clothes. It seemed like his mother enjoyed dressing him in blue and black. Jeans and sturdy shoes were to be expected, as always. This time, a solid black undershirt, and a blue vest that zipped up over it. The hat, as always, had red as a prominent color, this time with a black Pokéball symbol on it. Further pushing the black and blue, his new backpack was in shades of both colors.

Not bad, he thought. It wasn't as if he had any fashion sense to know if it was any good. At least it all fit, and that was good enough.

He dumped the contents of his old Sinnoh backpack out on his bed. There was quite a bit of junk, most of which would need to be tossed. The things he cared about the most, though, were the souvenirs and heirlooms he had been given.

There was Misty's lure, a classic. He would always keep that.

The Soothe Bells from the Hearthome tag battle tournament. Those seemed useful.

A few diplomas, certificates, and trophies. Those could stay here.

A wooden carving of a Teddiursa which May had brought him at the Wallace Cup. He liked it, but it would also be better off staying here.

And lastly, half of a contest ribbon. Ash carefully extracted it from the pile of junk. Yes, he would be keeping this one, too.

With most of the old stuff thrown away, and his new bag packed, Ash spread out on his bed. He examined his half of the Terracotta Ribbon. It was in need of a good cleaning. He figured if he caught up with May, she would know what to do to get it shining again.

The day he and May won that ribbon seemed like it was a world away. He remembered the two of them putting their halves of the ribbon together at the hotel on Lake Valor. He wondered if his half had looked so tarnished back then. It had been dark out there on the balcony that night. There was no way he would have been able to tell.

Ash figured maybe he should show the ribbon to Sceptile while he was still in town. Sceptile was, after all, the one who split it in half.

He would be sure to visit all of his Pokémon tomorrow. He would have to get his Sinnoh team acquainted with his others on Oak's ranch. He wondered if he was making the right decision, leaving them behind.

"Ash!"

Ash sat up immediately, startling Pikachu. His mother was calling for him.

"Ash!"

"Yes, mom?" Ash called back.

"There's a phone call for you!"

A phone call? It couldn't be May, since she wasn't going to be home until tomorrow. Maybe it was Brock? Or Dawn? Was there a problem at Oak's lab?

He considered all of these options until he sat down in front of the video screen.

May looked back at him.

"May!" he said. "Your mom told me you wouldn't be back in Petalburg City until tomorrow!"

For a brief second, Ash wished he had thought of something better to say. He hadn't seen or heard from May in more than a year, and now there she was, right in front of him on the screen. Ash had seen her eager face when he first appeared, but his words momentarily changed that expression to doubt. But then, the doubt faded.

"Good hear from you, too," May joked. "And my mom was right, because I won't be back until tomorrow. But, she was so eager to tell me you called looking for me that she called me aboard the ship."

"Ship?"

"I'm on a ferry back to Hoenn right now."

"Oh..." Ash said, feeling very dumb. "That's right, your mom told me you were on your way home."

"So what's up?" May asked.

"Not much, really," Ash said. What a pitiful lie. He had no idea why he felt so nervous. "How was Johto?"

"It was okay," said May, seeing right through Ash's diversion, "but, I thought my mom said you had an important question to ask me?"

Ash couldn't remember calling it an _important _question. Caroline must have added that on her own. It really was important, though.

"Yeah, I do," said Ash.

"What is it?" May said, leading him.

"What's what?"

"The question!"

Ash saw May roll her eyes. He couldn't believe how stupid he was acting. It wasn't his fault for being surprised, though. May's own mother told him that she wouldn't be home for another day!

"Right, the question," said Ash. "Um..."

He froze. He hadn't thought about how to ask this. It didn't help that it was a really serious question.

"Okay, so," he began. He saw May looking back at him curiously. He was being an idiot and he knew it. "So, I'm planning on going to travel in this region called Unova, and I, um, I wanted to know if you'd like to go with me."

Now that wasn't so hard, was it?

Trying to figure out what May was thinking, however, was very hard.

"Wow, um..." she started, looking astonished. She ran a hand over her forehead. "This is, well, _unexpected_."

May was nearly laughing as she said "unexpected." Was that a good thing?

"Sorry, I just thought of asking you earlier today," said Ash. "I wanted to see if any of my old traveling friends wanted to go with me, so I called you."

"Is anyone else going with you?"

"No. You're the only person I've called."

"Huh."

May looked blank with surprise.

Ash had no clue if May liked the idea or not.

"If you don't want to go, I understand," said Ash.

May raised an eyebrow.

"No, no, I _do _want to go, just, this is really sudden, you know?"

Ash shrugged. Maybe it was _too_ sudden?

"I guess?" Ash replied. "Sorry, like I said, I just thought of it today."

"What's Unova like, anyway?"

Again, Ash felt very stupid. He had no idea. He knew nothing about the place.

"I don't know," he said. "I've never been there."

Oh wow. Sounding real smart, dummy. May gave him an amused look.

"I mean, um, I just heard about it today."

Even better.

May laughed.

"Uh..." Ash droned, hopeless with his words.

"This sounds exactly like what I would expect out of you," said May.

"Uh... sorry?" Ash ventured.

"Don't worry about it," May said, waving a hand dismissively. To Ash's relief, she was smiling. "I just need some time to think about it. I want to find out what there is to see in Unova. Do you know if they have contests there?"

Again, Ash felt very dumb. He had asked right away about gyms, but he hadn't even thought about contests.

"Um, I don't know," he said, clearly embarrassed with himself. "Sorry."

"If they do, I'll probably go with you," said May. "If they don't... we'll see."

May's bottom-line statement hit Ash right in the gut. Ash realized that his carelessness might have cost him his only shot at recruiting a traveling companion. How could he have forgotten to consider something so important?

"Okay," was all he mustered in response.

"Can I call you back tomorrow?" May asked.

"Yeah, that would be great."

"Okay," she said. "I'll talk to you then."

"Bye."

There was a pause. May gazed at the screen intently.

"Ash?" she started. "...it was good to hear from you again."

Ash smiled back at her.

"It was good to hear from you, too."

"I'll talk to you tomorrow," said May. "Bye for now."

"Bye."

_-click-_

…

Ash put the receiver down and sat there quietly. Why had that been so nerve-wracking?

And better yet, why had he even considered asking May to join him without first finding out whether or not there were Pokémon contests in Unova? Why had he asked her to travel with him to a place all the way on the other side of the world without having any idea what it was like there? How stupid could he be?

When Ash returned to his room, he shut the door behind him. He looked at his half-ribbon, still laying on his bed, right next to a curled-up Pikachu. He picked up the ribbon, and stowed it safely in his new backpack. He couldn't stand to look at the thing after that awkward debacle of a conversation. Pikachu looked up at him curiously.

"Pikachu, I'm a moron."

* * *

><p>The next morning, Ash made his way over to Professor Oak's lab once again. He kept quiet about the invitation he had extended to May. There was no need in telling Tracey and the professor about it if he still had no idea if May would accept. There was something much more serious he needed to attend to, anyway.<p>

As always, setting foot in the corral behind Oak's lab was a dangerous prospect. In less than a minute's time, Bayleef had him pinned to the ground, Muk was smothering his face, Totodile was clamped onto his arm, Torkoal was crying, and Pikachu was exchanging a hand-vine shake with Bulbasaur. Tracey and the professor could only stand back from the scrum and laugh. It took several minutes to disperse the pile.

Then, introductions were in order.

Ash released his Sinnoh team. Gathered before the old guard were the newcomers – Infernape, Torterra, Staraptor, Buizel, and Gible. Within seconds, they all realized what was happening, and Ash felt a deep sadness building within him.

"Well, guys..." he said.

The Sinnoh team turned to face him. Right away, he felt even worse. Gible was blank-faced, as always, but the others' expressions were far more telling.

"This is Professor Oak's lab," Ash continued. "It's where I keep all the Pokémon I've caught. It's like a family here."

As if to illustrate Ash's point, Bulbasaur walked up to the group and extended a vine to each of them.

"Bulbasaur was one of the first Pokémon I ever caught," said Ash. "He's been there for some of my biggest battles. Here, he's the leader of all the Pokémon on this ranch."

Ash's Sinnoh team eyed the diminutive Bulbasaur doubtfully. _"Really?" _was the expression several of them made. A few envious eyes shot at Pikachu, who clearly was not being left behind.

"I think you'll see that there are some very powerful Pokémon here," Ash urged them.

The heavy, plodding footsteps approaching them seemed to accentuate his point.

"Like Snorlax," Ash said, motioning to the last of his Pokémon to join the reunion. Snorlax, upon arrival, immediately swept Ash off the ground into a crushing full-body hug.

"And also, Sceptile," Ash added, once he was released. He gasped for air while he pointed at the nearest tree. Sceptile calmly watched the gathering from above, atop a sturdy branch.

The Sinnoh team continued to give the place a bunch of skeptical looks. A few days ago, the Pokémon League. Now, this?

"I think-"

And right there, Ash froze. He didn't know what to tell his Pokémon. It wasn't as if he simply forgot about his Pokémon while they were here, but it just didn't seem fair. He looked at Sceptile's intense gaze. His faithful warrior of a Pokémon defeated a Darkrai not even two weeks ago, and yet here he was again, stuck on Oak's ranch until the next time he would be needed.

"I..."

Ash felt ashamed. It was the first time he had given the situation any honest thought. What was life really like here for his old teammates?

"I wish there was something I could say that would make things better for you all."

Ash's Pokémon looked at him. Even for those who hadn't been on the road with him in years, they knew he was serious. It wasn't normal for him to sound so solemn.

"I've been so focused on catching and raising new Pokémon for so long. I feel like I haven't given you all the attention you deserve. I can't make any promises, but I'll do my best to call upon you all more often. I don't want any of you to feel like you've been forgotten."

He took a few moments to look every one of his Pokémon in the eyes.

"I haven't forgotten any of you," he said.

Then, he knelt down before his Sinnoh team.

"Group hug, guys. I'll miss you."

* * *

><p>Ash spent several more hours at Professor Oak's ranch. There was nothing else for him to do anyway, at least not until he got his eagerly anticipated phone call, and it helped him ease his mind, if only a little bit. Most telling, though, was the few minutes he spent alone with Sceptile. He showed his old friend the half of the Terracotta Ribbon he still had. The fond look of remembrance the object received from Sceptile was something Ash figured he wouldn't ever forget. That, and the tearful goodbye he shared with his gathered Pokémon when he finally did leave.<p>

The rest of the day seemed like a blur to him. There was so much to think about that he hardly realized it as day turned into night. He only recognized that the day was nearly over when he began turning down the sheets to get in bed.

And then, the phone rang.

As if the fate of the world depended on it, he bolted downstairs and intercepted the call before it went to the answering machine.

"Hello?" he said. The picture still hadn't come in. He hadn't even looked at the name on the call.

"Hello?" a voice replied. "Ash?"

"Yeah, it's me!" Ash said.

The picture came into view. It was May, just as expected.

"May!" said Ash. "Good to hear from you."

Ash tried to temper his excitement. He knew that there was a very real chance May was about to turn down his offer. He'd had far too much time to think about that possibility.

"Yeah, good to see you again, too," said May. She seemed pleasant this evening, more at ease than during their previous conversation.

"So, have you decided?" Ash blurted out. He wasn't interested in waiting any longer for an answer.

"I have," said May, with a nod. "The answer is yes. I'll go to Unova with you."

"Yes!"

Ash jumped out of his seat. He pumped his fist as if he had just won a championship battle. It felt like he had.

"That's awesome!" he said back at May, absolutely beaming.

On the other end of the line, May was laughing at Ash's exuberance.

"Whoa, I had no idea it meant that much to you!" she said. "But yes, I'll go with you. They don't hold contests in Unova, though."

Ash halted his celebration.

"They don't?"

"No."

Ash deflated like a popped balloon.

"Aw man, I'm sorry," Ash said. "I... I don't want to make you come along with me if it means you have to give up your dream. That's not right."

"I appreciate it, Ash, but you're not making me give up anything," said May. "I care about things other than being a coordinator, you know. When I left home on my journey, the main reason I left was because I just wanted to travel. And really, taking some time to just travel would be great. There's a lot of awesome stuff to see in Unova, and there are lots of Pokémon that can't be found anywhere else. Even if I don't get to compete, the trip will be worth it, I'm sure."

Ash sat and thought about it. Much like with his Pokémon at Oak's ranch earlier, he wondered if he was being fair.

"I mean it, May," he said. "If you're not sure about it, I don't want you to go. I don't want to stop you from being a coordinator. It wouldn't be fair."

"And I mean it when I say that right now there's nothing in the world I would rather do than travel with you again."

Ash felt his jaw slacken. He hadn't expected May to be so emphatic. It was plain to see that she was completely serious.

"I guess that settles it, then," said Ash. "So... my flight arrives in Nuvema Town two days from now."

"Two days?" May exclaimed. "Ugh, of course you schedule something like this on such short notice! You always do. Let's hope I can get a plane ticket in time. Not to mention pack..."

Ash felt bad momentarily as he realized what an inconvenience this all had to have been for May. He quickly dismissed the thought.

"So, um... see you in two days?"

He could see May with her eyes looking up toward the ceiling, silently reciting a mental list of all the things she would need to get.

"Hm? Yes, right," she said, halting her train of thought. "In two days, in Unova."

"In Unova."

There was a pause, neither sure what else to say.

"See you then?" May ventured as a goodbye.

"Yep!" said Ash. "And, uh, by the way..."

"What?"

"Thanks for saying yes."

May gave him a knowing smile, although Ash didn't know why.

"No, I should be thanking you for inviting me," said May. "Now I have to go. I've got a lot to do."

"Right," said Ash. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

_-click-_


	3. Premonition

Chapter Three – Premonition

Touchdown.

There was a reassuring touch of rubber on asphalt, followed by a powerful roar of rushing air. Ash gripped onto the armrests as his inertia pulled him forward in his seat. He was glad he had heeded the flight attendant's direction to keep his seat belt fastened. Without it, he would have squished Pikachu between his lap and the seat in front of him.

The pilot welcomed the passengers to Nuvema Town over the PA system a few minutes before landing, but it was only now that Ash felt like he was actually there. Outside the windows was his first glimpse of Unova. The thoroughly normal-looking trees and brush that lined the far side of the air field would have held no interest to him if they had not been his first sight of land in more than half a day. Ash didn't dislike flying, but he did dislike being confined to such a cramped space for so long. He sincerely hoped to never spend that much time in an airplane ever again.

The airport was smaller than he would have expected for an international flight. From a view through a large window inside the terminal, he saw that Nuvema Town wasn't very large, either. It seemed like an odd place for an airport.

"_Nuvema – The Start of Something Big!" _a welcoming banner informed him.

As unimaginative as that slogan was, it reminded Ash that it really was the start of something big. For him, it was the start of a big wait. May's flight was scheduled to arrive four hours after his. Since neither of them knew anything about the town, the airport was their only reasonable rendezvous point, and Ash would have to wait there until May arrived.

Ash wandered in the terminal for a brief while, until he began feeling the effects of prolonged air travel catching up with him. He was bothered by how fatigued he felt. It made no sense that sitting around doing nothing for so long could leave a person feeling so tired. The time displayed on the clocks along the walls felt all wrong to him.

Pikachu snoozed comfortably atop his shoulder, and it made Ash think that his companion had the right idea. He found a suitable bench near May's scheduled arrival gate, laid down, and pulled his hat over his eyes. His consciousness quickly faded.

* * *

><p>Various shades of red and yellow danced about before Ash's eyes. There was a fitful feeling to them, a notion he couldn't quite place. He wasn't sure what he was looking at, and he was even less sure if he should be uneasy. And yet, as he focused harder, he found himself staring at the sunset, overlooking the city. It was a beautiful evening in late spring, and all was well.<p>

The streetlights came on one by one as he strolled down the sidewalk. It was an odd feeling. His mind had no idea where he was going, but his feet did. Without any apparent effort to control his body, Ash was merely along for the ride. He felt quite content to be pleasantly surprised at the destination. Into a neighborhood, across the street, two blocks down, third house on the right, up the front stoop.

Knock, knock, knock.

Ash stood in silence for perhaps half a minute until he heard the clicking noise of the front door being unlocked. He gulped. He could feel Pikachu tense up on his shoulder. For some reason, he was awaiting this with great anticipation. He didn't know why.

"Ash?" called a familiar voice.

Ash jumped in surprise, so sharply that Pikachu lost his grip on Ash's shoulder and had to grab onto his hat for support to avoid falling. Ash's hat did a quarter turn on his head and ended up mostly over his eyes. Frantically, he tried to readjust it, but it was too late. His image of composure had been blown.

"Ash?" May said again.

"Uh, yeah, hey," Ash replied, aware of how stupid he must have seemed with his hat completely sideways. He snatched it off his head and tried to smooth his hair away from his eyes. It was the best he could do.

"Wow! Ash, it is you!" May exclaimed. "It's so good to see you!"

"Yeah, it's g-"

Ash felt like his joints had all been replaced with silly putty. May leaped out the door and threw her arms around him. It took great effort for him to remain on his feet.

"...it's, uh... good to see you too," Ash weakly continued. He had difficulty breathing, partly due to May's strong grip, and partly due to nerves. He struggled to get his arms in a position to return the hug.

May pulled away after a few seconds, and she looked him in the eye.

"How have you been?" she asked. "I'm surprised to see you here!"

"D- I've uh- I've been d-doing good!" Ash stammered sloppily. He could feel the heat rising on his face. "I've been good."

May gave Ash a curious look, but she welcomed him inside.

"Come on in," she said to him. "You can have a seat and I'll get some drinks and we can catch up!"

"Sounds good."

Ash stepped inside. May ushered him into the living room, and then she turned around and headed to the kitchen. Ash took a look around while he waited for May's return. The house was very much the same as he remembered it, hardly any different from his last visit years ago. There was a new exotic-looking plant by the window, though. He walked over to examine it. It practically radiated good health, with rich shades of green, blue, red, and white. It was so vibrant that he wondered if it was fake. To test it, he placed his nose over one of the flowers and tried to catch its scent. His first try yielded nothing, so he moved his head in a little closer for a second sniff.

He felt a petal brush against his nose, and the next thing he knew he had been flattened on the floor in a flurry of flowers and leaves. Dazed, he tried to figure out what had happened. He recognized the familiar figure standing before him, if only vaguely. However, he definitely recognized the voice he heard coming from the other side of the room.

"Huh, if it isn't Ash," Drew said ponderously, casually walking over to where Ash lay. "Need a hand? Roserade can get pretty jumpy when you wake her up like that."

"No, I think I'm okay," Ash said, rolling over onto his knees and then slowly getting himself upright again. "Roserade, huh? I guess I should have figured your Roselia would have evolved by now."

"Yeah," Drew replied curtly. The two looked each other in the eyes. Neither bore a particularly friendly expression.

"I guess I also should have figured you would be here," Ash said, making no attempt to conceal the bitterness in his voice.

"Well _duh,_" Drew said slyly. "What did you think was going to happen when May followed me to Johto and was there with me for so long?"

"Huh?"

"Oh, seriously Ash, how dense are you? All those roses? All that advice I gave her? Did you seriously not understand that I was interested in May?"

"No, I understood that, but... what happened while you two were in Johto?"

"What do you _think_ happened?" said Drew, a dangerously sarcastic look in his eyes.

"Give me a straight answer!" Ash spat back.

"Drew! Ash! What's going on?" May said, looking confused as she entered the room with two soda cans. Drew simply closed his eyes and shook his head. Ash was seething, fists clenched.

When she got no reply, May pressed the issue further.

"Ash, why are you so angry? What happened?"

"Eh, he's all worked up about something," Drew casually replied.

"Worked up about what, Ash?" May asked. "What's the matter?"

"What happened between you two in Johto?" Ash growled. His own tone frightened him. He had no idea why he was so angry.

May gave him a blank look.

"What do you mean?" May asked him, concerned.

"What did you two do together while traveling in Johto?" Ash demanded, pointing accusingly at Drew. "What is he doing here?"

"We just traveled and trained together. Drew's only here to visit for a while before he goes home."

"Oh, don't listen to her, Ash. We did a _lot_ more than just travel and train together," Drew boasted.

"What?!" Ash snapped back.

"You heard me."

"What did you do?"

"Drew, knock it off!" May pleaded.

"You should have seen it," said Drew, smirking. "She denied her feelings for so long... until that spontaneous makeout session after the Goldenrod contest finally made it clear that she couldn't hide them any longer."

Ash felt like he had been hit by a train.

"And it only got better from there," Drew continued. "I'm telling you, you should have seen it. Sunrise on the shores of Olivine, on the white sands beneath the cliffs, not a soul in sight. Just us and the noise of the gentle morning waves and the soft sand caressing our skin..."

Ash began to back away. This time he felt like he was going to fall over.

"_Drew!_" May scolded.

"And, of course, there was far more than _caressing_. She got up on-"

Ash couldn't register any more of the words Drew was saying, even though he continued to elaborate, much to May's evident horror. Ash was livid, and he didn't know why. He was on the floor, and he didn't know why. May was punching Drew in the shoulder, and he didn't know why. He felt like his brain was broken.

It seemed his body was broken, too. He couldn't get up. His vision became distorted, and once again, shades of red and yellow obscured everything. The sounds of Drew rambling on and May protesting reached a crescendo, and developed into a roar. The sounds of voices deafened his ears.

There was fire all around him, and the voices in the crowd roared. Pikachu dashed through the flames. Close behind was a Latios, the source of the flames. Across the arena floor, standing calmly amidst the chaos, was a man with dark hair over one eye and a dramatic red cape. The visible half of his face showed nothing but intense focus.

"Pikachu, you've gotta get out of there!" Ash called.

Pikachu was being pursued much too rapidly to escape. There was simply no hope of victory. Latios was greatly superior to Pikachu in both strength and speed. The flames were closing in from all directions. There was nowhere to run.

"Luster Purge."

"Push it back, Pikachu! Thunderbolt!"

The attacks met in midair, but Pikachu's bolt of electricity was pushed back laughably easily. The jet of purple energy made a direct hit on Pikachu, knocking it backward into the flames.

"Pikachu! You've gotta get out!" Ash cried. "Run! Get out of the fire!"

There was no sign of life from within the flames. There were cheers as Tobias was declared the victor, but Ash didn't understand why. The battle was still going. Latios now turned to him. There was another jet of energy, and Ash felt his body being flung limply through the air, his travel ending with an impact on the stadium wall.

"Pikachu!" he cried out again. "Get up, Pikachu! You've got to get out of the fire!"

He continued calling out for some time, but it was useless. The flames stifled his cries as they crept up around him. Latios prepared another attack, and Ash prepared to be consumed.

The flames wrapped around him, but instead of their searing embrace, he found himself lost in darkness. He drifted away, determined not to return.

* * *

><p>The next thing Ash was aware of was something of a commotion going on around him. He stirred from his sleep, unsure of how long he had been gone. He pulled his hat away from his face and saw Pikachu perched atop his chest, searching for something.<p>

"What's up, Pikachu?" he mumbled drowsily.

Pikachu pointed ahead and urged Ash to get up. Ash refused to comply. He could feel that the bench had not been kind to his back. He could also tell from the noise that there were a lot of people in the terminal all of the sudden. They were disturbing his much-needed rest.

"Whatever," he grumbled, placing his hat back over his face again, shading his tired eyes from the light.

Pikachu protested and tried to remove the hat from Ash's face, but Ash held it down tightly.

"Knock if off!" he said. "Let me sleep..."

Pikachu acquiesced, but Ash couldn't dismiss the notion that Pikachu was looking for something. He had no clue what it could be, and he didn't care to give the matter any thought. Right now, what bothered him more was a vague recollection of a dream, one with a connection to his consciousness that was so tenuous he wasn't even sure he had actually experienced it. In his middling state of half-sleep, he tried to recall what had happened, but his mind failed him. The visions were lost to memory. He began to drift off once again.

Then, he felt his hat get snatched away.

"Pikachu! I told you to kn-"

Ash bolted upright, grabbing in Pikachu's direction, but his companion tumbled off his chest. He squinted with his tired eyes, trying to figure out where Pikachu had gone with his hat. And then, he halted immediately.

"Wake up, sleepyhead."

It was May. She smiled playfully at him, conspicuously hiding his hat behind her back.

Ash froze, mouth hanging partially open. The sleepy state faded away, and things started to make sense. The crowd of people in the terminal were all disembarking from the gate. This was May's flight. He had slept the entire wait away, and Pikachu had been trying to wake him up to find May.

And now, here she was, standing before him.

"Hey," he said breathlessly, poorly concealing his surprise.

"Hey," May replied. "Glad to see you could wake up for the occasion."

"Yeah, glad to see you made it here."

"I suppose you want this back?" May suggested, holding Ash's hat out at arm's length.

Ash nodded.

"Well then, you're going to have to stand up to get it," May said.

Ash frowned.

"Why?" he asked, reaching for it, but refusing to leave his seat. May pulled it away from his reach and held it high above her head. "Oh, come on, don't play games! You know how serious I am about my hats!"

"Exactly!"said May, backing a few steps away. She barely contained a giggle. "All the more reason to keep it from you!"

Now Ash was forced to get up to pursue his hat. He jumped up from the bench, continuing to regret his uncomfortable choice of a sleeping location. He lunged toward May, hindered slightly by his stiffness, but to his surprise, she didn't move. Ash had no choice but to stop once he was within arm's reach, or else it would look to everyone else in the terminal like he was attempting to tackle her.

Instead of keeping the hat away from him, May looked expectantly at the top of his head. Then, gently, she let her arm down and plopped Ash's hat back onto its usual resting place.

"Huh?" Ash said, looking up at the brim of his hat. "What was all that for?"

He didn't have time to think, though, because May pulled him in by the shoulders and then wrapped her arms around him. Ash's eyes shot wide open.

"May!" he exclaimed, stunned.

"Hush!" she replied. Standing on her toes, her head was level with Ash's, her chin perched atop his shoulder. "It's been a really long time since I've seen you. You'll just have to get over all these folks seeing me hug you in public. It's only a few seconds of embarrassment, I promise."

In those lingering few seconds, Ash noticed what a spectacle they were causing. He looked around sheepishly, seeing that there were several pairs of eyes focused on his and May's antics.

Stuck there with May hanging onto him, Ash had to concede that it truly had been a long time. They had both grown. May was still a few inches shorter than him, which gave him a clear view of the bandanna atop her head. It looked practically identical to the one she had worn on their first journey together. Her whole ensemble looked similar, once again dressed in shades of red and black. Ash couldn't help but note how good she looked, even if he was far too embarrassed by the thought to admit it.

May pulled away, and looked him in the eye.

"I've missed you," she said.

Ash tilted his head slightly to the side. There was a great weight to May's statement. He wasn't sure if she was sad, serious, or something else entirely.

"I've missed you too," he said. "But we won't have to miss each other anymore. It's time for a new adventure!"

Ash accentuated his point with a fist pump. Pikachu joined in to second Ash's statement. May smiled knowingly. She had seen this routine hundreds of times before.

"Ready to go, huh?" she said.

"Oh yeah," Ash replied with a confident nod.

The two headed off down the long terminal hallway, bobbing through the crowd. Nearing the main entrance of the airport, May asked a pertinent question.

"Where are we going, anyway?"

"Professor Juniper's lab," said Ash. "Professor Oak wants me to meet with her before we get our journey started."

"Why does he want you to do that?"

"Because Professor Oak said that Professor Juniper is really eager to meet me."

"Why's that?"

"She's interested in how I've met a lot of rare Pokemon. At least, that's what Professor Oak told me."

Ash's explanation was giving May more questions than answers.

"Huh," she said, intrigued. "I wonder why."

"I don't know," said Ash.

"Did Professor Oak tell you anything about this new professor?"

"No."

"Hmm. I wonder what she's researching."

"Beats me."

"Me too, but I guess we'll find out when we meet her. Speaking of which..."

"Hmm?" Ash mumbled. He saw that May was giving him an expectant look. "What's up?"

"Is there a time you're supposed to meet Professor Juniper?"

"No, I don't think so. Why?"

Ash had seen the look in May's eyes before. Usually, it had meant that he was about to have a terribly long day. On a handful of occasions, he had been lucky enough to escape. Now that he was alone with her, there would be no such luck.

"Well..." May began pleadingly, "I was thinking that maybe we could see the town first? It's such a cute place! I bet there's a bunch of neat shops and restaurants along the waterfront, and..."

Ash simply tuned her out. There was no way in the world he'd be getting out of this.

* * *

><p>Not even an hour of idle tourism had passed before Ash hit a massive stroke of luck, courtesy May's fondness for noodle shops. After enduring only three seaside shops which held nothing of interest, Ash got a reprieve in the form of a bite to eat. A cup of noodles was hardly a meal, but it was enough of an excuse to get a break from shopping.<p>

Among the various public piers along the waterfront, they found a suitable bench and sat, enjoying their repast in relative quiet. There was finally time for catching up.

"So, I heard from Max that you made it to the semifinals in the Sinnoh League."

Ash pulled a bite of noodles from his cup and blew gently on them, hoping to avoid burning his mouth. It was a convenient gap in time as he thought about what May said. Knowing Max, he was pretty sure that what he had actually told his sister was that he _lost _in the semifinals.

"Yeah, I did," Ash said, pausing to take a bite. "I lost in the semifinals, though."

"Max said the guy you battled was using a Darkrai and a Latios."

"That's right."

Ash stared into the steam rising from his cup. He honestly didn't want to remember. He could see May's concerned glance out of the corner of his eye. Pikachu seemed to share his feelings, looking rather glum.

"They were unbelievably strong," said Ash. "It was crazy. The guy's name was Tobias. I don't know how he got Pokemon like those. It took four of my Pokemon to beat his Darkrai, and two for Latios. Nobody at the tournament stood a chance against him. Not even me."

"Max told me all about it," said May. "It sounded like a really tough loss. He said you were doing great in the conference up until that match."

"That's what bugs me about it," said Ash. "I really was doing great. My battle against Paul the round before that one was the best I've ever had. I might have been able to win the whole thing if Tobias hadn't been there."

"Who's Paul?"

"He was a trainer I battled a bunch of times in Sinnoh. He and I..." Ash trailed off, searching for the words. "He and I disagreed about a lot of things."

Ash showed a vague smile at the euphemism. He knew he was understating the matter.

"Like what?" May asked.

"Like how to treat our Pokemon," Ash said. "He was a skilled trainer, but he used his Pokemon like they were tools. He was really mean to some of them, and he had them use some dangerous battle tactics, too."

"I can see why you two didn't get along," said May, sounding rather put off by Ash's description. "Why would he do that?"

"I don't know. He was determined to be powerful, but that's no excuse for all the things he did. We argued a lot, and that really heated up our battles. We weren't just battling for bragging rights. It was like we were trying to prove each other wrong. I guess that's why beating him in the Sinnoh League felt so great."

"And then you had that awful loss right after that match."

"Yeah..."

"I'm really sorry it all happened like that," said May. "You're an awesome trainer. You deserve to win."

Ash turned to look at May. Now she was the one staring into the steam rising from her cup.

"Thanks," Ash said to her.

May busied herself with taking another bite of noodles.

"So, how did things go for you in Johto? How was the Grand Festival?"

Ash watched as May paused in mid-bite and grimaced, clenching her eyes shut. She exhaled deeply, a painful expression on her face. Ash felt a pang of regret in his chest.

"I didn't go," May said, looking off into the distance.

Ash gave May a deeply curious look.

"Are you serious?" he asked her.

Now May was looking down again, into the rising steam.

"It's true. I qualified to enter the festival, but I didn't go. I didn't want to go."

"Why not?"

"There's a lot to it," May said, clearly uncomfortable with the subject. "But I didn't feel like I was going to be able to perform my best, so I went home instead."

Ash couldn't believe it. Why in the world would May have just given up? He wanted to know more, but May looked like she probably didn't want to talk about it. Ash was unsure if May was sad, angry, or something else entirely.

Silence hung between them, and both of them took great interest in their noodles.

Over the course of the next several minutes, there was a palpable change in the air. Something began to feel noticeably different. Ash eyed the horizon suspiciously. Pikachu was getting fidgety on his shoulder. He had no idea what the weather was supposed to be like here, but he became wary of a storm approaching.

May got up to throw away her empty cup, and she also noticed the sudden change.

"Is it just me, or is the sky getting darker?" she said.

"It's not just you," Ash replied. "I see it, too. I think Pikachu can feel it."

"Do you think there's a storm coming?"

"Maybe, but..."

Ash trailed off. The clouds he was seeing didn't look like any weather formation he had seen before. Normally, when there was a storm, there would be dark clouds visibly approaching from the horizon. Instead, right now the clouds directly overhead were turning darker.

"It doesn't look right," Ash noted.

Pikachu shifted around uncomfortably. It only added to Ash's suspicions.

"We should probably head indoors," May suggested.

"Maybe so..."

Ash trailed off again. The cloud formation had gone from unusual to downright frustrating. He had a distinct feeling that the clouds were moving directly at him.

He looked around. It seemed they weren't the only ones who had noticed the change. Various townspeople were motioning toward the sky and appeared to be headed indoors. The gentle sea breeze had become stronger, and the water looked more turbulent.

It still didn't feel right. Ash had seen sudden storms before, but this was literally out of nowhere.

"Ash, where are you going?"

Ash walked out to end of the pier. He felt tremendously ill at ease. The bay had been calm only a few minutes ago, but now the choppy water bore white caps. As if appearing out of nowhere, a sheet of rain began approaching rapidly across the body of water. The sun was plainly visible behind it.

"Ash, come on! I don't want to get rained on!"

Directly above, the clouds were rotating as if fixed about their exact location. They had turned a dark, threatening gray, nearly black. There was an audible commotion coming from the town, accompanied by a rumble of thunder. Clearly, this was not normal weather here.

"Alright, fine! You can get drenched, I'm going inside!" May yelled at him. The wind had begun blowing rapidly, dampening the sound of her voice.

Ash clutched onto his hat to prevent it from being blown away. The rain was steadily approaching, yet he remained rooted to the spot. He was just about to tell May to go ahead inside without him when a spectacular, astonishingly strong bolt of lightning struck the surface of the water not even fifty feet away from him.

For a few fragments of a second, Ash felt like his world had ended. Pikachu's everyday electrical discharges were comically tame in comparison to the one he was presently experiencing. His vision overflowed with white, but for a dazzlingly brief moment in time he felt like he could see things that were invisible in ordinary light. The tremendous luminous burst seemed to reveal every hidden feature of every wave crest on the bay and every hidden contour of the clouds above. He saw in colors he didn't know existed. The blistering heat of plasma washed over him and disappeared in an instant. His veins temporarily felt like they were pumping fire, and then the sensation faded to a faint tingle. Within him, a primal instinct triggered, and he turned and ran from the spot. He knew he should have listened to May.

Ash thought he heard a scream coming from the direction in which he was running, but it was dwarfed many times over by the ensuing booming clap of thunder. He assumed it must have been May or perhaps someone else startled by the bolt of lightning. He tried to find May among the commotion of noise and wind, but he was halted in his tracks by the feeling of Pikachu leaping off of his shoulder.

Pikachu dashed back to the end of the pier, tail in the air, staring intently upward. Ash had just enough time to turn around and see.

Up above, the swirling clouds had formed a gaping, black void of an eye. From within that eye erupted a horrifying bolt of electrical energy that arced from the hole in the sky directly into Pikachu's tail. This time, the flash seemed to invert Ash's sense of sight altogether. The power and proximity of the discharge froze him in space and in time. The column of searing plasma seemed to vanish from existence before he even saw it.

There was another searing blast of heat, and then a deafening peal of thunder. It hit Ash as if he had been punched in the gut, toppling him over and knocking off his hat.

He didn't know what happened next. He wasn't even sure if his heart was beating. His sense of reality greatly disturbed, the next thing he was aware of was the vortex of black clouds above dispersing almost instantaneously into benevolent white wisps. In front of him, Pikachu was crumpled on the dock, uncontrollably releasing great sickly arcs of electricity, like some kind of slowly erupting firework. The slow, pulsing, zapping sound wrenched Ash's gut.

Then, he was aware of May being at his side and helping him onto his feet. Bewildered, he stared at her agape for a few stupefying moments.

"The rain's gone," he said, his brain barely working. Somehow, the first thing he could bring to mind in this stupefying situation was that the mysterious storm had completely dissipated.

May looked at him, similarly agape, and said nothing, turning her gaze to Pikachu. The erupting discharges diminished, as if the firework had run out of fuel.

To both Ash and May's considerable relief, Pikachu could be seen breathing, heaving deep, exhausted breaths.

"P-Pikachu?" Ash called.

He didn't get a response, but he wasn't sure he was really expecting one. Proceeding with great caution, he stepped forward toward Pikachu. Expecting an immense jolt upon contact, he bent down and picked up his partner. To his surprise, he received only a mild shock, like static.

"Is Pikachu alright?" May asked.

"I have no idea," Ash said.

"We need to get to a Pokemon center, _now_," May urged.

"Do you know where it is?" Ash asked. "Did it say in any of your books?"

"I don't remember," May said.

The two of them made haste down the length of the pier and back onto land. As they reached the end of dock, they were accosted by a stranger.

"I saw what happened!" the stranger said. "Where are you two going?"

"Pikachu got struck by lightning!" said Ash. "We need to get to a Pokemon center right away!"

The stranger gave Ash a horrified and apologetic look.

"There's no Pokemon center in this town!" she said.


	4. Threshold

Chapter Four – Threshold

Ash and May stared at the stranger, horrified.

"No Pokemon center?!" Ash blurted out. "What are we supposed to do?"

The woman before them seemed oddly composed, given the circumstances. She was clad in a simple white blouse, green skirt, and sneakers, with her hair drawn up in an unusual bun atop her head.

"I can help you," she said. "I'm parked only a couple of blocks away from here. I can take you to a place where your Pikachu can receive treatment."

"Then let's go!" said Ash.

As Ash stepped forward to follow the stranger, who was motioning in what was apparently the direction of her car, he noticed May looking hesitant behind him.

"Let's go, May!" he called back to her.

"But-"

May didn't finish her phrase. Ash was already ten steps ahead of her. But who was this person? Where were they going? It was absolutely typical of Ash for him to agree to run off and get in a car with a person he hadn't even properly met if it was under the pretense of helping his Pokemon.

May hated running. She wasn't built for it. Her whole life, she had never been particularly quick on her feet. But just for a moment, she put her distaste for it aside and broke into a sprint – or something kind of like a sprint – to catch up with Ash.

Ash took notice of her as she pulled level with him.

"Ash, you don't even know where you're going! And who is this person?"

"It doesn't matter!" Ash replied. "If she can help Pikachu, I'm going with her!"

"Can't you just slow down for five seconds and find out who she is? How hard is it to ask?"

The mystery woman had clearly heard the bickering going on behind her. She stopped, standing next to a rugged vehicle with its top down.

"My name is Aurea, Aurea Juniper," she said. "I'm a professor, and I have a laboratory in this town with a medical facility. I'll take you there, if you're willing to go."

Ash and May halted in their tracks.

"Wait – are you _Professor Juniper_?" said Ash.

"Yes, I am," she replied.

"Whoa."

Ash looked at May, and saw that she was looking back at him with the same stunned expression.

"We were looking for you, actually," said May. "We were planning on visiting your lab later in the day."

"You were?" the professor asked.

"Yeah," said Ash. "I'm Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town."

Professor Juniper's eyes widened and her jaw slackened.

"Unbelievable..." she said, so softly that it was nearly a whisper.

"What's unbelievable?" asked Ash.

"It _is _a pretty weird coincidence," said May.

"It's not that," said Professor Juniper. "It's, well, I'll explain at the lab. We don't have time for this now." She motioned for the newcomers to get into her car. "Come on. Let's go."

* * *

><p>It was a familiar scene for Ash. Lying on an examination table in a room full of equipment, hooked up to at least a dozen wires, was his companion, in trouble once again. A new region, a new electrical disaster for Pikachu. It was an almost reassuring scene, were it not for the eminent sense that his friend was in grave danger.<p>

Professor Juniper and several of her assistants huddled around the table, considering a set of test results. Ash and May could only watch through the glass on the other side of the wall.

"I wish we could hear what they were saying," said May.

"Yeah, me too," said Ash.

There was a long silence. The hush wasn't for lack of things to say, but rather for a desire to hear something, anything, from inside the examination room. It was a hopeless endeavor, but a devoted one. It was like they were watching a long, pensive scene in a silent film, with no subtitles.

Ash was becoming impatient, fidgeting awkwardly. He crossed his arms, then uncrossed them, then put his hands in his pockets, then pulled them out, then leaned on one leg, then the other. Waiting was not his forte.

"You know, this reminds me of the first time we met," said May.

"Huh?" Ash mumbled back. He appeared too intensely involved in his wait to process any thoughts.

"When I first met you in Hoenn, you were chasing after Pikachu because he was having electrical problems. Remember?"

Ash nodded.

"Yeah, I do. Weird stuff always seems to happen to Pikachu when I go to a new region. When I arrived in Sinnoh, Team Rocket kidnapped Pikachu. Dawn found him, and he fried her bike. That was how I met her."

"Just like me," said May. She gave Ash a sly look. "You know, you never repaid me for that bike."

"It was just like when I met Misty, too," Ash said furtively, hoping that May wasn't serious. "You know, she never stopped bugging me about that bike."

Ash slapped himself on the forehead. He cringed.

"I just realized I never paid back Dawn, either," he said.

"I haven't seen anyone on a bike since we got here, so I think you're safe this time," said May. "There are no bikes around for you to fry."

"Don't even go there," Ash said, breaking the seriousness of the situation with a light chuckle.

"It could be worse. Pikachu could have fried someone's car," May joked.

Ash just groaned.

"I guess I'm lucky he didn't discharge or anything while we were in Professor Juniper's car," he said. "Professor Oak made it sound like she was really interested to meet me. I wouldn't want my first impression to be like that."

"I think with that lightning bolt Pikachu took, you've already made quite a first impression," said May.

"Maybe," said Ash. He had returned to solemnly gazing through the glass windowpane.

Only a few seconds later, he and May saw Professor Juniper exit the room. As soon as she came through the door, the professor found them waiting. Ash came running up to her.

"What's up with Pikachu, professor?" Ash asked, a hint of desperation apparent in his voice.

Professor Juniper gave him an honest look.

"I wish I had a clearer answer for you, but we're not exactly sure. Under most circumstances, what happened to Pikachu wouldn't be particularly noteworthy. It's fairly common for Pikachu to be struck by lightning in the wild, and those strikes normally cause them no harm, but that wasn't a normal lightning strike your Pikachu took."

Ash looked vindicated.

"I knew something was weird about that storm!" he exclaimed. "It was like it came directly at Pikachu!"

Professor Juniper smiled. Ash was more correct than he knew.

"The funny thing is, it probably did."

Ash and May both gave each other an inquisitive glance. Since when could the weather actually follow people?

"What do you mean?" Ash asked.

"I think Professor Oak was right about you being a magnet for rare Pokemon and unusual events. We can't prove it, obviously, but we have reason to suspect that the origin of that storm was a Pokemon, and not some kind of natural phenomenon."

"A Pokemon caused it?"

"Unbelievable, right?" the professor said, appearing genuinely excited.

Her excitement was met with disbelief. She tried to temper her enthusiasm.

"Like I said, we can't prove it, but..."

Professor Juniper trailed off, as if lost in thought.

"But what?" Ash demanded.

"It's difficult to explain, because it's really only a hunch. You see, there are stories here in Unova, handed down over generations, about a pair of mischievous Pokemon that cause storms. They're merely tales, the stuff of legends, but, after all, Professor Oak told me that you have a knack for making the stuff of legends into reality."

Ash was incredulous.

"You think that we found a _legendary_ Pokemon?"

"Maybe," said Professor Juniper. "But I think _it_ was the one who found _you_. Or, more accurately, it found _Pikachu_."

"Why Pikachu, though?" May wondered.

"We don't know," said the professor. "But like I said before, it's fairly common for Pikachu to be struck by lightning. Pikachu are, quite literally, like lightning rods. More importantly, though, Pikachu is not a species that is native to Unova. They don't normally appear in the wild here. It's somewhat of a wild guess, but it's possible that the appearance of a Pikachu - a lightning rod, so to speak - drew the Pokemon's attention. Even if that were the case, it's still not clear why it would strike Pikachu with an attack, especially one with that much force. Again, though, it's mostly guesswork. We can't be sure."

Ash thought about the professor's words. Her theory sounded crazy. But then again, the whole event had been crazy, so why not?

"So will Pikachu be okay?" he asked.

"We think so," said the professor. "The damage that Pikachu sustained is not unlike that of a regular battle, except that it's fairly severe. It's unlikely that Pikachu ever took a hit that strong before."

"I wouldn't be sure about that," Ash advised.

Juniper considered briefly the stories of Ash's exceptional encounters in the past.

"Perhaps," she continued, "but the healing process should be like that after a normal heavy battle, only a bit slower. I suspect that Pikachu will be completely back to normal in a week, maybe two."

Ash frowned. That was quite a bit longer than the normal recovery from a battle.

"Was the blast that Pikachu took really that strong?" he asked.

"Yes, it was," said the professor. "If our measurements are correct, the lightning strike Pikachu took may have exceeded two billion volts."

Both Ash and May's eyes widened considerably.

"That's... a lot," said Ash.

"That's putting it lightly," said the professor. "But anyway, Pikachu will have to spend tonight here so we can monitor the situation."

"Will we be able to stay here tonight, then?" asked Ash.

"Yes, actually," the professor said, holding up a finger as if she was about to posit a theory. "My living quarters are attached to the lab, and I have a guest room. The two of you are welcome to stay the night there. After your highly unusual introduction to the town, I feel it's the least I can do to accommodate you."

"That would be great!" said Ash.

"Thank you!" chimed May. "It'll be a big relief to not have to find a hotel since there's no Pokemon center for us to stay at while we're in this town."

"If you'll excuse me, though, there's a conference call I have to take in ten minutes," said the professor. "I can't miss it."

"Absolutely," said May. "We understand."

"Will we be able to stay here with Pikachu?" asked Ash.

"I don't have a problem with it, at least while the lab is open today," said Professor Juniper. "If any of my assistants give you any trouble, just let me know," she added with a wink. "Once I'm done on the phone, I'll be back and I'll show you two to my guest room."

"Thanks again," said May.

Ash had already turned away from Professor Juniper and was peering through the glass again. May gave him a firm nudge in the ribs with her elbow. He spun around immediately, rather red.

"Oh, um, yeah! Thanks!" he sputtered out.

Both May and Professor Juniper couldn't help but laugh. Ash wasn't sure what there was to laugh about.

"Focused on your Pokemon, I see?" said the professor, seemingly pleased by Ash's apparent devotion. "I understand completely."

"You do?" said Ash. There was a faint but definite forcefulness to his question. Juniper seemed to understand the implicit question behind what he said, and replied accordingly.

"I'd like to think so," said the professor. "I've devoted my life to Pokemon, too, albeit in a much different way than you have. I may not know the true extent of how you're feeling right now, since your bond with Pikachu is likely far greater than any I've ever had with any Pokemon, but I still care for Pokemon like you do. My assistants and I are in charge of hundreds of Pokemon for other trainers here."

"You are?" asked May. "I don't think we've seen any since we got here."

"Just take a look around outside," said Juniper, with an ushering gesture in the direction of the back door. "See for yourself. Now, I have to be on my way."

This time, Professor Juniper really did excuse herself. Ash remained fixed at the examination room window. He had to admit that this eccentric, youthful new professor seemed difficult not to like. She had a warm sort of personality, one that easily fostered trust, but he still wondered – did she really know the depth of his concern right now? Had she ever had her closest companion put in such grave danger? Had she had it happen even once, let alone many times, like he had?

May placed her hand on his shoulder. She tried to give him a reassuring look, but Ash merely acknowledged her with a glance and returned to staring through the window. The assistants tending to Pikachu had begun to slowly exit the room now. First one, then another a few minutes later, and so forth. Their nonchalance spoke some truth to Professor Juniper's belief that Pikachu was going to be fine.

Several minutes passed.

May tried to get through to him again, once more with a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey," she said.

"Yeah?"

"Wanna go check out the area behind the lab? There might be a bunch of Pokemon there that neither of us have ever seen before."

And it might help him to calm down and get his mind off the situation for a few minutes, but May intentionally omitted that detail.

"No, I think I'll stay here," he said.

May frowned. Then, a thought occurred to her.

"Do you know if your Pokedex has been updated for this region?" she asked him.

"Yeah, Professor Oak took care of it before I left."

"Then I'm borrowing it," she said, reaching into his backpack. "Because I'm going to take a look."

May had expected Ash to protest, but she received no resistance whatsoever. Worried, but also eager to take a break from worrying, she took his Pokedex and stepped out the back door.

* * *

><p>Had Professor Juniper not intervened and forcibly demanded Ash to leave the lab for the night, he likely would never have gone to sleep. Instead, against his will, he was forced to retire to the professor's guest room, where he found May already sound asleep for the night. He wondered why the professor hadn't offered him a chance to sleep on the sofa or somewhere else, because May had already claimed the one bed in the room. The bed was more than large enough for two, but he was not at all willing to risk the awkwardness of having May wake up next to him. He took the spare pillow off the bed, found a blanket in the linen closet, and slept on the floor instead.<p>

The next morning, he was awoken by the sound of May slipping into the bathroom for her morning routine. Without a word, he returned to his previous post at the lab.

This time, the professor's assistants let him in the room. Pikachu was sound asleep, and looked to be resting comfortably. Ash was instructed not to disturb his resting companion. He complied, and then he was left alone in the room with Pikachu.

Without much warning, Professor Juniper entered the room, causing Ash to jump.

"Good morning!" she said, amused by his startled reaction.

"Whoa!" Ash exclaimed, quickly hushing himself when he realized he risked waking Pikachu.

"I figured you would be back here," the professor said.

To Ash's great surprise, she smiled appreciatively at him.

"Take this," she said, extending her hand. She held an apple out to him.

"Huh?" Ash wondered aloud, giving her a curious look.

"You seem like the type who can get so worried that they forget to eat," said the professor.

Ash took the apple from her, snickering.

"I'm actually the type who likes to eat way too much, all the time," he said.

"You don't look like it," the professor replied, clearly not believing him.

"It's true, I really am," Ash told her. "And so is May. We're really alike, at least in that way."

"Well, isn't that odd," said the professor. "I never would have guessed. Anyway-" she halted abruptly for dramatic effect, emphasizing her change of subject. "Pikachu's tests have come back negative for any kind of serious, lingering injury. Once he wakes up, you're free to take him with you again."

"Really?" exclaimed Ash. He pumped his fist. "That's great!"

"I figured you would be glad to hear that," said Professor Juniper. "Please, though, be aware that it may take a couple of weeks, or perhaps longer, for Pikachu to get back to his old form. You're going to have to take it easy battling with him, understand?"

Ash nodded. He didn't care how long it was going to take, as long as he would get Pikachu back.

"Now, since it could be most of the day before Pikachu wakes up, I have an idea," said the professor.

"What is it?"

"There are going to be some visitors to the lab today who I think you would be interested in meeting."

"Really? Who?" asked Ash, finishing his question with a big, chomping bite out of the apple.

"They're two new trainers who will be beginning their journeys today. I figured as a trainer yourself, you might be interested in seeing them off and helping them out in any way that you can."

Ash liked the sound of this idea.

"Sure!" he replied with an enthusiastic nod. "That sounds kinda fun."

"Wonderful!" the professor said, sounding genuinely appreciative. "They should be here later today. I'm sure that-"

Professor Juniper was interrupted by a tap on the shoulder from one of her assistants.

"Professor, there's a visitor here to see you," the assistant said, leaning in through the door frame.

Professor Juniper gave Ash an apologetic look.

"Sorry, but I'll have to tend to this," she said to him. Ash could hear her continue speaking to the assistant as she left the room and walked down the hall, her voice fading from the growing distance. "I hope you haven't kept him... Well, no, after yesterday I..."

Left alone with Pikachu once again, Ash was curious. He munched on the apple and wondered who the visitor could be. Professor Juniper said she wanted his help, but she said that the new trainers would be here later in the day. But wasn't it already later right now? What if the new trainers were just confused and here early? If that was the case, maybe right now she really did need his help.

Content that Pikachu was going to be fine without his constant, hovering presence, he left the room and headed down the hallway the professor had traveled a few minutes prior.

Following the signs on the walls, he made it to the front lobby, but there was nobody there. He supposed that Professor Juniper must have taken the mystery visitor to her office. For the moment, the place was empty.

Or at least it was, until May entered from the direction of the professor's living quarters.

"Hey, good morning," he said to her.

"There you are," she said, sounding relieved. "Good morning. I didn't know what had happened to you after I went into the bathroom. You just disappeared."

"Sorry about that. I went to check on Pikachu."

"How is he?"

"Better," said Ash. "Professor Juniper says that once he wakes up, he's free to go with me again. She said that it's going to take some time for him to get back to his full power, though."

"I guess that's good news," said May. "It could certainly be worse."

Ash shifted uncomfortably.

"I don't even want to think about that," he said.

May shifted uncomfortably, too. She frowned.

"With all your worrying yesterday, you missed a fun time in the garden behind the lab," she said. "I saw lots of interesting Pokemon."

"Can you really blame me for being worried?" said Ash.

"No, I can't," said May. "But it would have been nice if you could have just relaxed for a few minutes. I think it would have helped you if you had rested your nerves for a little while."

"Maybe," said Ash, shrugging. May definitely had a point, but how could he relax in a crisis when he could barely relax on a normal day?

"Not to mention how comfortable it must have been on the floor last night," said May, smiling slyly. "Did you find a soft spot or something?"

"No," said Ash, reminded of some persistent soreness in his back, left over from his nap on the airport bench the previous day. "No thanks to you taking the bed for yourself."

"I asked Professor Juniper if she had a cot or something for you, but she said she didn't, and well, _I _wasn't sleeping on the floor."

Ash tilted his head.

"That can't be right. I know I walked past a sofa on my way to our room."

"Whoops, I guess I didn't ask," May quipped, rolling her eyes. "I guess I just wanted the bed all to myself."

May finished her statement by sticking her tongue out ever so slightly.

"It was comfy, too," she added.

"Thanks," Ash grumbled back at her, frowning. "Next time there's only one bed, I'm taking it for myself."

"Absolutely fair," May replied, nodding in concession. She quietly hoped that there wouldn't be a next time. "So, what's up today? Another exciting day of standing around and watching Pikachu sleep?"

"No," said Ash, shaking his head. "Professor Juniper said that there were going to be some new trainers coming in here today to start their journeys, and she asked if I could stick around and help them out."

"Huh," said May, sounding intrigued. "That's neat. Did she say when they were going to get here?"

"She said it would be later," replied Ash. "But she does have a visitor right now. I don't know who it is."

"Hmm..." said May, thinking. "Well, if you think we have time, it would be fun to go see the professor's garden again."

Ash looked around, as if searching for any reason at all to decline the invitation this time. He found none.

"Sure, sounds good," he said. This time, he really had no excuse. Besides, why wouldn't he want to see a bunch of Pokemon he had never seen before? It would be foolish for him to decline the opportunity now.

May knew the way back to the gardens through the lab, and she led the way. However, as they traversed the long central hallway, they stopped. Professor Juniper was exiting her private office with someone they hadn't met.

The professor's visitor was several inches taller than her, and Professor Juniper was not a short woman. He was also considerably wider. Atop his imposing frame was a huge head with an impressive length of wavy golden-brown hair that hung down well past his shoulders. He didn't look pleased, and Ash suspected that the visitor's natural expression was not one of happiness. His countenance had a severe look to it, accompanied by faint dark circles under his eyes. Dressed in a simple black button-up with rolled-up sleeves and a pair of jeans, Ash had no idea what to make of this newcomer.

"Is that the professor's visitor?" May asked Ash.

"I guess so," said Ash, whispering to her as the professor and the newcomer turned in their direction. "I didn't see him come in."

The professor readily noted the two of them down the hall.

"Ash! May! There you are!" she called to them.

Ash and May were both confused. Professor Juniper spoke as if she had been searching for them.

The professor came walking towards them, her visitor in tow.

"There's someone I'd like you two to meet," she said to them. The newcomer stood next to her, hands in his pockets. He appeared expressionless at best, unfriendly at worst.

"Who is this, professor?" May asked.

"This is Rex," she said, gesturing toward her large visitor. "He's a Pokemon trainer traveling around Unova."

Rex nodded, withdrawing a hand from his pockets.

"Hi," he said, waving at them briefly, taciturn.

He went to place his hand back in his pocket, but Ash walked up to him. His previously stoic eyes widened.

"Hi! I'm Ash Ketchum! I'm from Pallet Town, in Kanto! Nice to meet you!"

It was a routine Ash had performed hundreds of times before. He extended a hand to the veritable giant in front of him. He figured Rex must have been half a foot taller than he was.

Rex seemed to eye Ash's hand suspiciously, but after a moment of deliberation, he acquiesced and returned the gesture. To Ash's relief, the giant showed a small smile.

"And I'm Rex," he said, gripping Ash's hand firmly. "Pleased to meet you."

May stepped forward next to Ash, and followed in the introductions.

"I'm May," she said, also extending her hand. "I'm from Petalburg City, in Hoenn. Nice to meet you."

"Pleased to meet you, too," said Rex, exchanging a brief handshake and curt nod with her.

"So are you from Unova?" Ash asked.

"Yes," said Rex, with a nod. "I'm from Opelucid City, up north."

His voice was deep. His tone was perhaps a bit dull, but not at all unpleasant.

"Rex is on a journey through Unova," said Professor Juniper. "He has seven gym badges so far."

Ash's eyes widened.

"Whoa, seven!" he said, getting a curious look from Rex. "You must be a pretty good trainer!"

Rex seemed reluctant to take the compliment.

"Eh, I don't know that I'd say that, but okay," he said, seeming rather uncomfortable. "I haven't qualified for the league yet or anything."

"Ash is a veteran of Pokemon League competition," Professor Juniper said to Rex. "He's competed, and placed highly, in the league tournaments of several regions."

"And he won the Orange League!" May pointed out emphatically. "And he defeated the Battle Frontier! I was there to see it."

Ash gave May a surprised look, and Rex gave a similar one to Ash.

"Well, if that's so, then what are you doing complimenting me?" Rex asked him. "I've got nothing on you."

"That's not true!" said Ash, not at all willing to let Rex put himself down, regardless of whether or not the comparison was accurate. "I came here to Unova with only one of my Pokemon, so it's like I'm starting all over again."

Rex gave him a curious look.

"Why would you want to do that?" he asked.

There was a hush over the group. Ash didn't seem to have an answer.

Rex looked like he regretted asking the question.

"My apologies," he said hurriedly. "It's not my place to inquire about such things. I imagine that's a personal decision. I shouldn't have asked."

He pointed toward the back end of the hallway.

"If you all would excuse me, I have to tend to checking up on my Pokemon out back," he said.

Ash and May both grimaced. This was going to be awkward.

"We were actually headed out back to the gardens, too," said May.

Rex looked like he was going to choke.

Professor Juniper barely contained a giggle.

"It looks like there's no escaping them, Rex!" she chortled. She turned to face Ash and May. "Don't worry about him, really," she said to them. "He won't bite. He's just slow to warm up to people, that's all."

Rex frowned at the professor in exasperation.

"Thanks, professor," he quipped.

"You're welcome," the professor quipped right back at him with a smirk. "You're all free to visit the garden in the back. Just-"

Professor Juniper abruptly cut herself off upon hearing the doorbell ring.

"Not again," she groaned. "It's _still _too early. I've got no choice, though. Sorry, everyone, but I'll have to go see who it is."

The professor dismissed herself, but she was quickly interrupted. An assistant appeared at the front end of the hallway.

"Professor, it's one of the new trainers. He's here for his starter Pokemon."

"What?" the professor exclaimed. "He's here way ahead of schedule!"

"I know, but he said that he wanted to get an early start," the assistant said.

"Oh well," said the professor. "Bring him back so we can get started."

"This is what the professor wanted you to help with, right?" May asked Ash.

"Yeah, I guess we should stick around for now," he said.

Behind them, Rex was inching away from the rest of the group.

"If you'll excuse me..." he muttered furtively before making a full turn and walking briskly toward the back end of the hall.

Ash saw him go, but he merely shrugged.

"Weird guy, huh?" he said to May as they were walking up to the front with the professor.

"That's one way to put it," said May, rolling her eyes.

"I wonder what he was talking to the professor about," Ash whispered to her.

"No idea," May whispered back.

The group entered the front lobby. If Rex had been weird, the young man waiting for them now was practically a machine in comparison. His glance was aloof and calculating. His eyes appeared distant behind his spectacles. His hair was dark, long, and straight, hanging down past his ears. His clothing was dark and mostly tight. His jeans and blue jacket fit him like a glove. He was stylish.

He hardly acknowledged the group's entrance to the room.

"Cheren, is that you?" the professor asked.

"Professor Juniper, I presume," Cheren said, turning his head toward her. "Yes, it is me. I am here to begin my journey as a trainer."

"Excellent!" said Professor Juniper, with a level of enthusiasm that was utterly disparate to Cheren's. "But do you know where Bianca is? I was expecting the two of you later in the day."

"I don't know where she is," said Cheren. "I told her that I intended to get started early, but she honestly has no sense of time."

Cheren displayed not even a hint of humor in his statement.

May had to exert some effort to avoid visibly recoiling at how acerbic he sounded.

"Whoa..." she said to Ash under her breath. "I wonder who Bianca is?"

"She must be someone who's no good with clocks," Ash replied. "I'm sure no good with them. I understand."

May gave him a deadpan look.

"Do you know when she'll be here?" Professor Juniper asked Cheren.

"No, I can't say I do," Cheren said. "Some time today, though, I suppose."

"Well," said the professor, "if that's the case, I guess there's no harm in starting early. Come with me. We'll get started."

Professor Juniper motioned for everyone to follow her. She took the group to a small room with a sealed glass case in the center, sitting atop a pedestal. Three pokeballs were visible through the glass.

The group gathered around the case and peered inside with wonder.

"Welcome!" the professor proclaimed, dramatically switching on the lights. "In the case before you are three pokeballs, each containing a Pokemon that new trainers here in Unova may choose as their first Pokemon!"

"I know, professor," said Cheren, nodding at her. "I can choose from Snivy, Tepig, and Oshawott."

"Wonderful!" said the professor. "I see you already know a bit about the process. But, before I can give you one, I'm required to give you the opportunity to choose between all three, so I have to introduce them to you."

Professor Juniper opened the case. She pulled out the leftmost pokeball.

"First up, Snivy!" she said.

The red glow emitted from the ball materialized into a green, serpentine Pokemon with short limbs and a leaf on its tail. It seemed completely calm, almost aloof – not unlike Cheren.

"This one must be a grass type," said Ash, kneeling down to inspect the small Pokemon.

"It is," said Cheren.

"Yeah," said Ash. "Looks like it has a lot of confidence."

"Next up, Tepig!" said the professor.

This Pokemon was on all fours, two-toned orange and black, with a snout, prominent ears, and a curly tail. It emitted a few embers from its snout as it fell in line next to Snivy.

"Ah, this one's a fire type," said Ash. "It looks friendly, too," he added, patting it on the head.

Cheren simply nodded this time.

"And last up, Oshawott!"

The professor's final ball contained a timid-looking Pokemon colored blue and white, with a shell attached to its stomach. It looked nervously around the room with its dewy eyes before hastily taking its place next to Tepig. It stood alert and at attention, as if taking part in a military drill.

"This one's a water type, I'll bet!" said Ash. "Cute little guy, don't ya think?" he said in May's direction.

May nodded, waving at Oshawott. The little Pokemon didn't seem to notice, looking directly ahead, focused.

"I choose Snivy," said Cheren, without even a second of deliberation.

Tepig lowered its head in defeat, but Oshawott, somewhat comically, looked like it had been slapped in the face. The little water Pokemon recoiled in shocked horror and held that pose for several seconds before toppling over like a statue.

"That was quick," said Ash, wondering how Cheren made such a tough decision in so little time.

"I knew which one I wanted before I arrived," said Cheren. "I was planning on choosing Snivy."

"I'm certain you've put some thought into it," said the professor. "And I'm certain you've made a great choice. Snivy seems to suit you well."

"Thank you," said Cheren.

"Now, everyone," the professor began, returning the other two Pokemon to their balls, "if you'll come with me, we can-"

"WAAAAAAAAIT!"

Everyone present turned their head toward the sound. A frantic, harried voice came echoing down the corridor.

Cheren shook his head disapprovingly.

"WAIT!" came the voice again, getting closer.

"Miss, hold up! You need to-" an assistant uselessly called after the source of the voice.

"WAIT FOR ME!"

An orange blur shot past the open door, and then the sounds of running and yelling halted abruptly. Cautiously, the person outside the door backed up a few steps.

It was a girl in her late teens, much like Cheren. She was in every way his opposite. Her faced beamed radiance and vivacity, and her head was adorned with bright blonde hair and a huge green hat. Her large, green eyes were full of expression. She wore an orange sweater vest over her white dress, with similarly orange stockings and a green bag much like her hat.

She looked completely exasperated.

"Cheren!" she exclaimed through deep breaths. "I'm so sorry I'm late. I'm so, so, _so _sorry!"

"Bianca!" said the professor. "You're actually not late at all! Cheren just chose his starter Pokemon, and now it's your turn!"

"Really? Everything's okay?" she asked, almost pleading.

Her question seemed to be directed at Cheren, but he only barely acknowledged it with a nod.

"You're actually still early!" the professor said. "Go ahead! There are two Pokemon left. Cheren chose Snivy, but Tepig and Oshawott are still available for you to choose!"

Professor Juniper opened the case once again, but this time skipped the formality of releasing the Pokemon one at a time. Tepig and Oshawott appeared before them once again.

Bianca absolutely squealed with delight.

"They're both _sooo _cute!" she said, clutching her hands to her chest. "Oh, I don't know which one to choose!"

"Whichever one you like the best," said the professor. "It's your decision."

Bianca zipped around the two remaining starter Pokemon, inspecting them. Both of them were rather baffled by her exuberance.

Without any warning, she snatched Tepig up in her arms and began forcibly snuggling it.

"This one! This one!" she cheered.

Tepig did not seem nearly as excited as Bianca was, and promptly blew a cloud of hot embers in her face.

"WHOAOOAAOAA!" she exclaimed, swiping at her face as she flailed on the floor.

Oshawott, once again, looked stunned beyond belief. While Bianca righted herself and readjusted her hat, Ash knelt down beside Oshawott.

"Don't worry, little buddy," he said.

Oshawott looked at him with misty eyes.

"Someone is gonna choose you one day, don't you worry."

He gave Oshawott a pat on the head, and then stood up again, helping Bianca get back on her feet.

"Careful with Tepig, Bianca," advised Professor Juniper. "They are usually very amicable Pokemon, but they can be, pardon the pun, _fiery_."

Bianca laughed much harder at the professor's statement than was reasonable. She drew strange looks from everyone in the room – except for Cheren, who once again was shaking his head.

"You do choose Tepig, right?" the professor asked.

"Yep!" said Bianca, again scooping Tepig up in her arms, although much more gently than before. This time, Tepig seemed considerably less startled.

"Great!" said the professor. "Now, if you follow me to the end of the hall, I'll be able to give both of you your Pokedex!"

The group filed out of the room and proceeded to another room near the end of the hallway. Inside were two small boxes that clearly contained some kind of electronic device.

Professor Juniper opened both boxes and handed one to both Cheren and Bianca.

"This device," said the professor, "is your Pokedex!"

"My what?" said Bianca, looking at the thing completely baffled.

"Your Pokedex, Bianca," said Cheren. "It holds and records information on Pokemon that you've encountered."

May grimaced at Cheren's condescending tone. She smiled when the professor reprimanded him.

"Come, come Cheren!" said Professor Juniper. "Today is a happy day! There's no need to be so formal about it! Everyone has to begin somewhere. It's okay if Bianca isn't as familiar with the basics of being a trainer as you are."

"Yes, my apologies," said Cheren.

"And these," said the professor, extending a hand to each of them, "are pokeballs. I have five for both of you. You use these for catching wild Pokemon."

"Thank you, professor," said Cheren.

"Th-thanks!" said Bianca.

"That's pretty much it," said the professor. "Unless you have any questions for me, you're free to begin your adventure!"

"I have one!" chimed Bianca. "Where are we going?"

Again, she seemed to be speaking to Cheren. The professor answered Bianca's question anyway.

"There's only one route in and out of town that's commonly traveled by trainers, and it heads north from here to Accumula Town," Professor Juniper said.

Ash realized that Bianca's question had just answered an unspoken question of his own. When they were done here, where would he and May be going?

"Hey, professor?" Ash asked.

"Yes?"

"Where's the nearest Pokemon gym?"

"It's in Striaton City, which is due north from here, past Accumula Town. For all of you, I recommend that you head there and test your skills!"

Cheren nodded.

"Okay!" said Bianca.

"And that reminds me..." said the professor, shaking her head. "In all of the commotion and surprise, I forgot to introduce you all. Bianca, Cheren – these two are Ash and May. Ash is a talented trainer from the Kanto region, and May is a talented coordinator from Hoenn!"

Bianca seemed impressed. Cheren narrowed his eyes.

"Ash..." Cheren pondered, as if the name was familiar. "Did you participate in the league tournament in Sinnoh?"

"Yeah, I did!" said Ash. He was astonished that Cheren apparently recognized him.

"I thought so," Cheren said. "I saw you battling on TV."

"I made it to the top four," said Ash. "It was a really good finish."

"Indeed it was," said Cheren, agreeing with a nod. He then turned to the professor. "Thanks again," he said. "I think I'll be on my way now."

Cheren turned and started to leave, but Professor Juniper halted him.

"Wait just a second!" she said. "There's a reason I introduced you and Bianca to Ash!"

"Yeah, didn't it have something to do with helping them?" said Ash.

"Yes," said Professor Juniper. "Ash is an experienced traveler who has encountered all kinds of obstacles on his journeys. He can help you two get on your way. Traveling can be difficult when you're new to it, after all."

"I appreciate the offer," said Cheren, "but I'd prefer to get going on my own. Thank you."

"If that's what you choose, that's okay, too," said the professor, acquiescing. "Bianca, the offer is open for you, too."

Bianca didn't hear what the professor said. She was too busy chasing after Cheren as he made his way out of the building.

"Wait up!" she called out.

The door shut behind them, leaving an awkward silence in their tracks.

The silence was broken as Rex reappeared from the end of the hall.

"Professor?" he said. "I've made my exchanges. Thank you and your staff for watching after my Pokemon."

"You're welcome," Professor Juniper said, sighing as she massaged her temples.

Rex took notice of the professor's apparent exasperation.

"Did something happen while I was outside?" he asked.

"Quite a bit happened," the professor said. "Normally sending new trainers on their way isn't as hectic as that."

Professor Juniper implied quite a bit more with her tone than what she actually said.

May nodded, knowing all too well what the professor meant.

Rex raised an eyebrow, but then shook his head instead.

"I don't even want to know," he said.

"I have a request for you all, actually," Professor Juniper said.

"What is it?" asked Ash.

"Could you follow the two of them, please? I have a feeling that things between them are going to get... _messy._"


	5. Jilt

Chapter Five – Jilt

After finding that Pikachu was finally awake, Ash eagerly collected his partner and prepared to be on his way. Professor Juniper thanked them in advance for their assistance, although Ash didn't really understand why. In kind, he thanked the professor for all of her help.

Along with May, and with Pikachu atop his shoulder once again, Ash made his way to the edge of town, to the top of the hill where Route 1 began. The day was still young.

"Can you see them from up there?" May called to him.

"Yeah, I think so!" Ash called back to her.

Ash could indeed see them. Bianca and Cheren appeared to be stopped at the signpost just up ahead. It looked like they were having a heated discussion. He wasn't sure what was going on.

May, as usual, hated running, and she was a decent distance behind Ash. Trailing behind May, though, was an unexpected third member of the party.

"How did I get dragged into this?" Rex grumbled.

"The professor asked for your help, too. Remember?" May said as he drew closer behind her. "She had a request for _all_ of us."

"But I don't even know what's going on," he said.

"Oh, you'll see," she assured him.

From her vantage point, she saw Ash disappear over the top of the hill. When she reached the top, she found Ash stopped at the signpost with Bianca and Cheren.

"So, mind filling me in?" Rex asked her.

"You haven't missed much," said May. "Bianca clearly wants to travel with Cheren, but he has other ideas."

"Sounds fun," Rex said flatly.

"I'm worried for Bianca, actually," said May. "I'm not sure she knows."

Indeed, it seemed she didn't. As May found, the discussion at the signpost was as hopelessly adorable as possible.

"But it's the beginning of our journey! We should start it at the same time! Together!" said Bianca.

Cheren sighed, clearly tired of the endless argument.

"Very well," he said. "We can do it."

"Yay!" cheered Bianca. "We can all do it! Ash, you can join us! Your friends, too!"

"Leave me out of this," muttered Rex.

"But you don't even know what's going on," May sarcastically said to him, repeating his earlier words. Rex slapped his hand over his face.

"I'm not sure I know, either," said Ash. "Bianca, what are we doing?"

"We're all going to step onto Route 1 at the same time!" she said. "That way we can all start our journey together!"

Cheren stood next to Bianca with slack shoulders, looking completely defeated. He had clearly tried to stop her from doing this, and failed. Bianca looked elated.

"Oh my. It's much worse than I feared," Rex said to May.

"Hush," May said to him. "Let her have her moment of fun. Bianca! Ash and I will do it with you!"

Ash hadn't made the decision to participate on his own, but playing along with it seemed harmless.

"Sure, yeah, I'll do it," he said, shrugging.

"What about, um..." Bianca began, squinting at Rex. "Who's your other friend?"

"That's Rex," said Ash, pointing at the scowling figure behind them all. "Professor Juniper sent him here with us."

"Sent him?" Bianca said, not understanding.

May gave Ash a fierce glance that instantly shut him up.

"She sent him along with us to show us the way," May said, absolutely winging it. "He's got a lot of experience traveling around Unova. Isn't that right?"

Rex raised an eyebrow at her.

"Um, yeah, sure," he replied.

"Oh, well that's nice of you to help!" Bianca said. "Will you join us as we all start our journey together?"

"I'm already on my own journey," said Rex. "You kids can have your fun."

Bianca pouted at him.

"Oh, come on! Lighten up!" she said. "It'll be fun! It'll make a great memory."

Rex reached into his back pocket, and from it he removed what appeared to be a hip flask.

"No," he said bluntly, before unscrewing the top of the flask and taking a swig of whatever it contained.

"Forget about him," May said dismissively. "How do you want to do this?"

"Well, I, uh..." Bianca stuttered, clearly having not thought this through.

"Why don't we all get in a line?" Ash suggested. "And then we can all step off on the count of three?"

"Yeah, that will work!" said Bianca. "But wait! We need a line! Let's see, um... here!"

Bianca picked up a twig from the grassy area on the side of the road.

"Just a sec!"

With a great deal of focus, Bianca slowly and carefully etched a line in the dirt road, explicitly indicating where Nuvema Town ended and where the great beyond began. It took her a minute, and she broke the stick once and had to continue with only half of it, but her effort was not in vain. When she was done, she proudly put her hands on her hips and happily looked at her line.

"See! Straight as can be! And I made sure my hand didn't go across it when I drew it so that I stayed here in Nuvema Town and didn't accidentally cross it before the rest of you!"

"Alright then, so, we line up?" said Ash.

"Yep! Here, Cheren, you stand over there, and I'm here, and then May, then you Ash, then..."

She looked for Rex, but instead of behind the group where he had been previously, he was begrudgingly standing at the line, waiting.

Bianca carefully lined the tips of her shoes up with the line she had drawn. She stood tightly at attention, conveying the seriousness of the moment.

"Everyone, do what I did! Put the tips of your feet on the line!"

The group complied.

"So, do we get a countdown?" Ash said.

"Um, yeah! Step off on three!" said Bianca. "Alright, here we go. One... two... three!"

With the coordination of a group of toddlers, the five of them stepped across the line. Bianca was so determined that she took her step too forcefully and nearly tumbled over. Ash, who was never very good with numbers, stepped off late, and May concerned herself with hoping that Bianca hadn't noticed Ash's gaffe. On the opposite ends of the line, Cheren and Rex watched the other three with quizzical expressions, unsure what was so difficult about this.

Once Bianca had straightened her hat and made sure that she hadn't stepped out of her shoes or torn her stockings, she held her fists up excitedly, as Ash often did.

"Alright! Now our journey can really begin!" she said.

Bianca's intent in that statement was plainly obvious, and she looked toward Cheren, but she found him looking away.

"What do you say? Cheren?"

Cheren shook his head at Bianca's question. He turned to face her.

"Bianca," he said, "What's all this about _our _journey?"

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I never agreed to travel with you."

The other present travelers all found they suddenly had a nervous feeling in the pits of their stomachs. May bit her lip, trying to avert her eyes. Ash simply stared, eyes wide. Rex began to reach for his flask again, but paused, then awkwardly scratched his leg instead.

"But you never said no, either!" said Bianca.

May's eyes narrowed.

"I also never said yes," said Cheren. "Nor did I say maybe. I never gave any indication that I was interested in it."

"You never said anything!" said Bianca. "So I just assumed that you were okay with the idea!"

"I'm sorry," said Cheren, "but no. Maybe _they_ will travel with you," he said, motioning to the others present, "but I would really prefer to go alone."

"But... but..."

"I'm sorry, but the answer is no," Cheren said.

"But... but I thought..." Bianca continued stammering. As she sank toward the ground, pulling her hat over her eyes, her words became less and less intelligible.

May glared at Cheren. Irritated, she stalked over to him.

"How could you let things get to this point without ever giving her a straight answer?" she demanded of him.

Cheren pulled back a step from May, taken aback by the sudden flare in her temper.

"I didn't want to upset her!" he said, trying to excuse himself, finally raising his voice to something more than a monotone.

"Well, you clearly have now!" said May. "There was no good reason for you to have kept her waiting for an answer for this long!"

"It's not like I'm going to change my mind!" said Cheren. "I've always intended to go on my journey alone. I even told her that! But she didn't get the hint! All through school, every time she talked about it, I never said or did anything that indicated I wanted to go with her. And I knew that if I said no, she was only going to try to keep asking me until I changed my mind. That tactic is exactly what she used just now to get me to cross the line with her."

"That doesn't change the fact that you owe her an explanation for all this!" said May. "And an apology!"

"An explanation?" said Cheren. "She just heard my explanation! All of you did!"

"B-but... why?" Bianca moaned from within the confines of her hat.

"Why? I just said that I-"

"All you've said is that you wanted to travel alone!" May interrupted him.

"What more do I need to say?" Cheren inquired. "It's my own decision! I don't have to h-"

"Enough!" Rex bellowed. All heads present turned toward him. The severe expression that had been on his face when Ash and May first met him had returned. "Look, the two of you are supposed to be Pokemon trainers now," he said, pointing at Cheren and Bianca, "so you should settle the matter like Pokemon trainers."

"How's that?" Bianca asked, meekly looking over the top of her hat, still clutched in front of her face.

"With a battle," Rex said. "If Cheren wins, he gets to travel on his own, like he wants. If Bianca wins, she gets to travel with Cheren, like she wants."

Cheren seemed intrigued. Bianca seemed terrified. Ash and May both seemed concerned.

"I would accept those terms," said Cheren. "We should settle it that way."

"I-" Bianca nervously began, rummaging around in her bag. With difficulty, she extracted a pokeball from deep inside, her hand briefly getting stuck. She held it up and put on the best guise of determination she could muster.

"I'll do it," she said, her voice sounding shaky. "I'll have a battle with you."

"There we go," said Rex, nodding. "I'll referee the match, if that's okay with everyone."

There were no objections.

"Let's take this off the road," he said. "There's an open area off to the side of the road that seems like a fine place for this."

Cheren and Bianca followed Rex off to the side of the road toward the clearing. Ash and May followed behind the three of them. They looked at each other. Both frowned.

"I don't like this," said Ash, keeping his voice low.

"Me neither," May replied in a hushed tone. "I don't think Bianca has any idea what she's doing, and Cheren knows it."

"Exactly," said Ash. "Now I understand why the professor wanted us to follow the two of them. What do you think would have happened if we weren't here?"

"Cheren would have left Bianca crying at the sign," May said.

She and Ash exchanged a look of understanding. They both knew this wasn't going to have a happy ending.

"Pika..." Pikachu added, sounding glum.

"And I really don't like that they're going to use their Pokemon to settle this," said Ash.

"We should say something," said May. "They haven't started yet. It's not too late."

"I dunno..." said Ash. "Even if this isn't the right thing for them to do, it's gotta be easier than having them talk it all out."

May said nothing and looked away. She grimaced both outwardly and inwardly. As ugly as Ash's statement was, she couldn't deny that this was the easier way. She hoped this wasn't about to be a mistake.

In the open area, Rex positioned Cheren and Bianca on opposite sides, facing one another.

"This will be a one-on-one Pokemon battle between Cheren and Bianca," Rex declared, an arm extended in the direction of both trainers. "Each trainer will be allowed the use of one Pokemon, with no substitutions and no time limit. The battle will be over when one or both Pokemon are unable to continue battling. Do you both agree to these terms?"

Cheren readily agreed. Bianca, after watching Cheren do the same, shook her head in the affirmative.

"Very well. Trainers, send out your Pokemon!"

Cheren coolly removed his pokeball from his belt and pointed it toward the field. A red jet of light shot out of it, and Snivy appeared, looking every bit as aloof as its trainer.

Bianca nervously clutched her pokeball. She looked around once and then gave the ball an awkward throw, landing only a short distance before her. Tepig burst out of it.

"Okay, Tepig," she said, sounding terribly unsure of herself. "This is our first battle. Do your best."

Tepig blew some embers from its snout. Heat emanated from them. A short distance away, Ash and May could both feel it.

"Well, at least Bianca has the type advantage," Ash whispered, scratching the back of his head.

"Do you think it's going to matter?" May asked him gravely.

"No," he said. Both he and Pikachu atop his shoulder frowned. "Bianca's too nervous for this."

"It's just like stage fright at contests," said May. "First the trainer gets nervous, then their Pokemon sees it and mimics it. It's a textbook example."

Even Pikachu sighed.

"Trainers! You may begin!"

Rex brought his arms down, signaling the beginning of the battle.

Cheren pushed his glasses back against the bridge of his nose.

"Snivy, use Tackle!"

Snivy quickly went into motion and rushed forward. Tepig stood still, unsure what to do as Snivy ducked its head down and collided directly with its opponent. Tepig reeled back a few feet, landing right next to Bianca. Snivy instinctively backed off toward Cheren, knowing it was not wise to remain at such close range to a fire-type.

"Hey!" said Bianca. "That was really rough!"

Cheren stared at her in disbelief.

"This is how a battle works," he said flatly.

"Um..." Bianca quivered and looked at Tepig, who stared up at her wide-eyed, awaiting a command. "Uh... well, if you want to be rough like that, then you use Tackle too, Tepig!"

This time, Tepig charged forward, rushing headlong toward Snivy.

"Snivy, intercept Tepig with Leaf Tornado," Cheren said.

Snivy held its small leaf-hands out before it, and a green aura of energy formed in between them. From it, leaves began to spout forth. First only a few, and then dozens, if not hundreds more. They swirled around in a funnel shape and blasted out in front of Snivy, headed directly toward Tepig. Bianca saw the attack and shrieked, and Tepig immediately halted and tried to turn on the spot. It was useless. The attack broadsided Tepig and sent it reeling again, this time sending it in a dizzying roll several feet backward.

"Whoa! That move's a new one to me," Ash said, both he and Pikachu looking on in amazement.

"Me too. I've never heard of it before," said May.

Bianca held up her Pokedex and thumbed through its indices frantically, searching for what move she should use to respond. Tepig slowly stood up and looked back to her, once again waiting on another command.

"Um, uh..." she mumbled, her hands now visibly shaking.

"Snivy, use Vine Whip," said Cheren, more than willing to exploit his opponent's indecisiveness.

Two slender vines emerged from Snivy's back and swept through the air, aimed directly at Tepig's blind side.

"Uh... Tepig! Defense Curl!" Bianca cried.

Tepig rolled into a ball shape and huddled on the ground, trying to shield itself from the incoming attack. Snivy's vines made contact, but instead of making a sharp cracking sound, they merely bounced off with a mild thump.

"Hey, that move wasn't bad at all!" said May, and she looked at Ash with excited surprise.

"Yeah, you're right!" he said. "But I don't think a defensive move like that is going to be enough."

Bianca jumped up and down excitedly.

"Tepig! That was great! Yes!" she exclaimed.

Tepig turned around fully to face her and beamed with excitement, tail wagging. Snivy stood directly behind, smirking.

"Oh no," groaned Ash, covering his face with his hand. It was all over now.

"Snivy, use Leaf Tornado," Cheren said again.

There was just enough time for Bianca's face to change from happiness to horror. At point-blank range, with its opponent's back turned, Snivy's Leaf Tornado was a direct, clean hit. Tepig squealed and was blown away, rolling out of control and then into the base of a tree stump. When the strewn leaves settled to the ground, the result of the battle was a foregone conclusion. Tepig was dizzy and dazed, not moving at all. A few silent moments passed, and Tepig showed no signs of being able to get up.

"Tepig cannot continue the battle," Rex said, raising his arm in Cheren's direction. "Snivy and Cheren are the victors."

Bianca rushed over to where Tepig lay and fell to her knees beside it. Cheren, on the other hand, bore a confident smile.

"That was good, Snivy," he said. "A good first battle. Thanks."

With that, he returned Snivy to its pokeball and reattached it to his belt. He turned and walked away.

Ash clenched his fist.

"Poor Bianca," May said. "What a mess."

"Yeah," Ash said with a solemn nod. "I wish that hadn't turned out like we thought it would."

Slowly, May walked over to where Bianca was kneeling. Reluctantly, Ash also joined her, and Rex followed thereafter. Much to the surprise of everyone present, Bianca wasn't in tears. She was holding Tepig, looking down at the ground and frowning.

"I'm sorry, Bianca," May said to her.

Bianca said nothing. Instead, much like she did at the signpost a few minutes earlier, she reached for her big green hat as if to pull it over her face.

"At least Tepig isn't seriously hurt," Ash said, as if it would be any consolation.

"Yeah," Bianca quietly, shakily replied, now hiding her eyes behind her hat.

May knelt down next to Bianca and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I know it was more than just a battle, and I know losing hurts, but it will be okay," she said to her.

"Yeah, don't worry about it!" Ash said, trying to sound upbeat. "Almost everybody struggles at the start. I know I sure did, and May did, too. It's totally normal to lose your first battle."

May gave Ash a brief sideways glance meant to indicate that he had missed the point. Bianca remained hidden behind her hat.

Tepig had been released Bianca's clutches, and Pikachu hopped down to the ground to join it. While Tepig swallowed its pride, Pikachu shared a few words of wisdom.

"There is nothing to be ashamed of," said Rex with a nod of acknowledgment, slow to join the huddle.

"He's right," said Ash.

"You're going to be okay," said May, "and Tepig will be, too."

"Osha-osha."

"_What!_" several voices cried out in surprise. Heads everywhere snapped around to locate the source of the sound. Oshawott stood several yards away from the huddled group, looking somber, evidently trying to say some words of condolence.

"Oshawott!" Ash exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

Oshawott gave Ash a chipper reply, accenting its statement with a slap of its shell.

"Is that the same Oshawott from the lab?" asked May.

"I think so," said Ash. "It looks the same to me."

"Maybe it followed us?" May suggested.

Bianca looked curiously at Oshawott, her eyes still partially hidden behind her hat.

"I think it's the same one," she said. "I got a good look at it in the lab."

"Yeah," said Ash, agreeing with her. "But still, what are you doing here, Oshawott?"

In an effort to bridge the obvious communication gap, Pikachu confronted Oshawott. An incomprehensible conversation between the two ensued. Ash became engrossed in it and tried his best to follow along, but he felt quite lost.

Recomposing herself, Bianca straightened her hat atop her head. She scooped Tepig up in her arms, and then rose to her feet. She moved as if to take a step forward, and then faltered. She looked down again, and then shut her eyes tightly. This time, it looked like she really would cry.

"Bianca," May said, reaching out toward her, "where are you going?"

"I don't know," Bianca choked out, clearly fighting back tears. "Wh-where am I... _supposed _to go? Everything's _ruined..._"

"That's not true," May calmly said, shaking her head.

"_Yes it is..._" Bianca sputtered out.

Now, the tears really did come. Standing only a short distance away, Rex looked profoundly uncomfortable. He looked even more disconcerted when May took Tepig out of Bianca's arms and handed the small Pokemon to him.

May lent her shoulder to Bianca and put an arm around her. Rex held Tepig at arm's length, looking like he had no idea what to do. Tepig stared curiously at him, equally bemused by it all.

Bianca sobbed.

* * *

><p>Professor Juniper drummed her fingers on the kiosk impatiently. How many rings would it take for the man to answer the phone? And who in the world would set their phone to wait for at least sixteen rings before defaulting to voice mail? She knew he was getting older, but did it really take him that long to hobble across the room to answer a call?<p>

Thirteen rings. Fourteen rings. Fift-

"Hello?"

"Ah! There you are!" said Professor Juniper. The relief in her tone was palpable.

The video stream finished buffering, and Professor Oak came into clear view.

"Aurea! To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I hope I haven't interrupted anything important, Samuel," Juniper said urgently. "There's been an interesting development."

"A development?" Oak replied, scratching at his chin. "What do you mean?"

Professor Juniper could barely contain her excitement.

"As I'm sure you are aware, Ash arrived here yesterday," she said.

"Ah, yes. I had hoped I would hear from him upon his arrival in Unova."

"Well, consider this his complementary correspondence," Juniper said. "And please accept an apology from him on my behalf for not contacting you. Ash was rather busy upon his arrival."

"Was he? What was he doing? Did something happen?"

Professor Juniper beamed.

"Yes, something highly unusual happened."

"Of course," said Professor Oak. "Highly unusual occurrences seem to follow Ash everywhere."

"You told me so, but I had know idea you meant it so literally," Juniper said.

"You've heard the stories," Oak replied.

"As unbelievable as they are," Juniper added.

"You know that I don't go around volunteering that information, Aurea," said Oak, taking on a more serious tone. "I _would_ swear on my reputation in the scientific community that not a single word of those accounts is falsified, but the claims are so outlandish that even in my position I doubt anyone would believe me. I've discussed these matters with the handful of reputable researchers who have seen them firsthand – Ivy and Rowan in particular – but they have also kept quiet thus far, simply due to a lack of a certifiable body of evidence. You are the first person from outside the local scientific community to inquire about them."

"You can add me to that list of firsthand witnesses," Juniper said. "When Ash arrived in Nuvema yesterday, he had a close encounter with what may have been the Pokemon Thundurus."

"Thundurus? I can't say I'm familiar with it."

"It's a Unovan legend," said Juniper. "It's said to cause sudden, violent storms and has a penchant for mischief. People commonly claim to have witnessed it, and its cousin Tornadus, during the stormy spring and summer months. In native folklore, the appearance of either one is considered to be a bad omen. The evidence for their existence is so scant that they may as well be UFOs."

"That's a bleak comparison," said Professor Oak. "And yet you claim you saw it yourself?"

"I did," said Juniper, nodding. "There was a sudden, unnatural storm cell that developed south of Nuvema in a matter of perhaps two minutes, which then rushed ashore, halting directly above the docks. From within the eye of the cloud, there was a bolt of electrical energy which descended and struck Ash's Pikachu. The lightning strike was far more intense than any natural bolt of lightning. Pikachu sustained serious, but not debilitating injuries. A lesser Pokemon would have been killed."

"Are you sure this wasn't a natural storm? Even I am familiar with Unova's reputation for volatile and severe weather."

"It was unlike anything I've seen," said Professor Juniper. "This storm was less of a weather pattern than it was a _phenomenon_."

Professor Oak clenched his brow.

"I do hope you realize that if this had happened to anyone other than Ash, I wouldn't even entertain the notion of believing you."

Professor Juniper smiled.

"So you do believe me," she said.

"Yes, I do," Professor Oak said, solemnly nodding.

Professor Juniper leaned back in her seat and sighed blissfully, looking upward.

"It's just so perfect," she said. "You agree to nudge Ash in my direction, he comes here, and within one day he has a possible encounter with a legendary Pokemon, practically in my front yard."

"That's what concerns me, Aurea," said Oak.

"What's that?"

"That it's so perfect, as you say. Not to lecture you, but as I'm sure you're well aware, when something is too perfect, skepticism should be applied."

"I am aware. Still, you told me that you believed my account."

"And I do, but it's not so much the _what _that concerns me. It's the _why_. It seems... contrived."

"Tell me what you will about cognitive biases, but currently I believe that the best explanation for what I and several hundred inhabitants of this town saw yesterday is that a Pokemon caused the incident."

"I believe you may have misunderstood me, my dear," Oak said apologetically, shaking his head. "I am not saying that I suspect you of having an ulterior motive in telling your story. What I mean to say is that I wonder if the attack against Pikachu had an ulterior motive."

Professor Juniper grinned.

"Not to lecture _you_," she said, "but in the event of a particularly rare and unusual occurrence such as the one witnessed here yesterday, the most likely explanation is generally the answer requiring the fewest assumptions. In this case, that explanation is that it was a chance encounter, simple luck."

"Occam's Razor," Oak said with a nod. "And although I admire your use of the principle, I'm not sure I follow."

"The theory which I posited to Ash was simply this – Pikachu in their natural habitat are commonly struck by lightning, their tails acting as natural lightning rods. However, Pikachu are not native to Unova, so when Ash and his Pikachu arrived here, Thundurus happened to be in the area, and Pikachu's naturally conductive qualities served as a beacon for Thundurus. Factor in the legend's supposed natural tendency toward mischief, and it follows that it would intentionally strike the new lightning rod in the area."

"A possible explanation," said Professor Oak, nodding, "but only if you are willing to make the considerable assumption that this event was indeed caused by a legendary Pokemon."

Professor Juniper frowned at the screen.

"You know fully well who we're discussing," she said. "And you know better than anyone that in the case of Ash, it's more likely than not to be true."

"I do know," said Professor Oak. "And I also know that you're ecstatic to have potentially witnessed something so extraordinary so early in your career. And you'll have to pardon me, for I don't wish to slight you, but I wish it wasn't so. I worry for the boy's safety."

"Understandably so," said Professor Juniper. "But tell me, does that mean you agree with my theory?"

"I think it has merit," said Oak. "But I also don't think that luck had anything to do with it."

"Why is that?"

"Because whenever Ash has one of these encounters, luck is rarely involved. I said that I thought the event seemed contrived, and I stand by that. I believe it is possible that there was a motive."

"But what could it possibly be?"

"I don't know the answer to that, but I do think that the attack was intentional. Your supposed legend may enjoy partaking in mischief, but based on Ash and Pikachu's history, I have every reason to believe that the attack was anything but random."

Professor Juniper raised an eyebrow inquisitively.

"Care to elaborate?" she inquired.

"That, my dear, would require far more time than I can give you today. And didn't you tell me just the other day that you had an appointment scheduled for this morning?"

"Speaking of contrived..." Professor Juniper grumbled, rolling her eyes. "And yes, I did. That appointment is already over. I have all the time in the world today."

"My apologies, but it must wait."

"Very well," Professor Juniper said with a heavy sigh.

"Again, I apologize," said Professor Oak. "I am aware that I must be making things rather difficult for you, but I assure you it's done with good intentions. I like to foster an environment of healthy skepticism among the younger members of the scientific community. So, give the matter some more thought. There is no need for you to rush toward a major discovery at your age. You have so much time, and so much potential."

"Understood, and appreciated," said Juniper. "I look forward to hearing back from you. Sooner rather than later, I hope."

"I'll see what I can do. Take care."


	6. Insensate

Chapter Six – Insensate

Two days passed.

Two days of complaining, grumbling, poor meals, shoddy camps, slow progress, sore feet, and sorer feelings passed, and the traveling party arrived in Accumula Town. After checking in at the Pokemon center, they paused for collectively perhaps ten seconds before shedding down their gear in their room and hitting the showers. All except Ash. Instead, he headed for a phone kiosk.

As he waited for his call's recipient to pick up, he found his shoulders sagging under the weight of a heavier load than usual. Pikachu sat atop one of his shoulders, and Oshawott sat atop the other.

The ringtone ceased, and the screen slowly flickered to life.

"Hello?"

"Professor Juniper, is that you?" Ash said. "I can't see you yet."

"Who is this? Oh, it's you, Ash!" Professor Juniper said as the video came through. "Yep, it's me! You found me. And apparently you found Oshawott."

Ash looked over at Oshawott furtively. Oshawott stared at the screen nervously.

"It was actually more like Oshawott found me," Ash said, scratching uncomfortably at the back of his neck. He had serious concerns about how this call was going to go, and what it would mean for his blue friend.

"I'm glad he did," said Juniper. "My assistants and I weren't sure how Oshawott got out of here in the first place, but we were concerned about his whereabouts and safety. I'm glad to see he found his way into good hands."

Ash paused. This wasn't what he had expected.

"I was afraid you would be mad," Ash said, trying hard to contain his pleasant excitement. It was too early to celebrate yet.

"Now come, Ash," said Professor Juniper, seeming surprised. "Why would you expect that?"

Ash scratched at the back of his neck once again.

"Well, I couldn't really understand everything that Oshawott tried to say, but it sounded like he thought he was going to be in trouble once we called you."

"I would say that's a reasonable expectation," said Juniper, causing Oshawott's ears to droop. "However, it's not entirely unexpected that Oshawott would run away like this, either."

"It's not?"

"No. I don't know if you gleaned as much from your attempts at understanding Oshawott's speech, but it's no secret here that Oshawott has wanted to leave for a while."

Oshawott appeared to be hiding his face from the camera.

"I kind of did, maybe?" Ash said, unsure. "If that's true, I guess I get why he ran away."

"And I believe I understand, too," said Juniper. "You would of course have no way of knowing this, but you were the only trainer to pass through my lab in months who showed any serious appreciation of or interest in Oshawott. More than a dozen new trainers have started their journey from here in Nuvema Town in the past few months, and none of them chose Oshawott. He's been waiting here, getting passed over repeatedly, hoping a trainer would choose him."

"That's tough," Ash said sympathetically. He reached up over his shoulder and patted Oshawott on the head.

"It would be enough to drive anyone mad," said Juniper. "And I believe that the combination of Cheren and Bianca's rapid rejection of him, plus the empathy you showed, convinced Oshawott that you were the only way he was ever getting out of here. So, he escaped and went after you."

Ash nodded in understanding. The call went silent from both ends for a brief while. Ash could feel tension around him, the bated breath of the Pokemon atop both his shoulders reminding him that there was an unanswered question still hanging in the air. A big question.

"So," he began uneasily, "I really don't want to do this, but do I have to send Oshawott back to you?"

Ash heard Oshawott gulp.

"Under normal circumstances, I would say yes," Juniper replied. "As a regional professor, I work under guidelines to administer the release of Unova's league-approved starter Pokemon only into the care of new trainers. However, I don't think these are normal circumstances."

"Does that mean Oshawott gets to stay with me?"

"Yes, it does."

"Yes!" Ash cheered, pumping his fist. The relief was tremendous, particularly among his clingers-on.

"Ethically speaking, I'm not sure I would be right to force Oshawott to return here, regardless of where he had gone. It was clear that Oshawott was taking the rejections very hard and that he was discouraged to the point that he felt he needed to break free and escape. If a Pokemon is in that kind of distress while in our care, I don't think it would be responsible for us to attempt to retrieve it. As an educator, my job is usually to look after the welfare of _trainers_. The Pokemon that the Unova League issues to me are selected for their ease of training so that new trainers will be better able to both compete in the league and to defend themselves on their journeys. Thus, the league stresses the importance of giving these starter Pokemon specifically to new trainers. However, on a purely moral level, it feels wrong to me to to confine Oshawott and subject him to the emotional barrage that he faced. I have to consider the welfare of our _Pokemon_ as well, not just our trainers. If Oshawott would rather be with you, then it's for the best."

"Were things really that bad, professor?"

"I'm not a medical or psychiatric specialist, but in my own estimation, I would say that Oshawott was depressed."

"Depressed?" Ash replied curiously, raising an eyebrow.

"Perhaps, or perhaps not, but certainly frustrated with the situation, at a minimum. Short of being selected back here by a caring and competent new trainer, I would say that the right treatment is for Oshawott to do exactly what he did. That is, taking matters into his own hands. Oshawott had no control over the situation, so he _took_ control of it."

"Is that good?"

"It certainly is!" said Juniper. "Lucky you, you've got a new Pokemon who is very strong-willed! Oshawott is undoubtedly better off with you than he ever could be in my lab or with any of the trainers who passed up the opportunity of training him."

Oshawott was again trying to hide his face, but this time because he was blushing.

"So yes, Ash, you get to keep Oshawott. I'll send his pokeball to the center in Accumula at once."

"Thanks so much, professor!"

"Absolutely," Juniper said contently, giving her customary salute.

* * *

><p>Back in the dormitory hall, now with only Pikachu atop his shoulder and a newly-occupied pokeball equipped to his belt, Ash found Rex leaning against the wall outside the door to their room. His arms were crossed and he was sopping wet, dressed in a soggy plain white t-shirt and a towel wrapped around his waist. His already rather long hair appeared longer when wet, and he dripped steadily onto the tile floor.<p>

He gave Ash a resigned glance.

"I took too long in the shower, so the girls got back to the room before I did," he said. "I have to wait while they get dressed."

"How long have you been waiting?" Ash asked.

"Long enough. They should be done soon," Rex said. "What happened with Oshawott? Did Juniper make you send him back?"

"Nope! I get to keep him," Ash said. "She said Oshawott would be better off with me than back at her lab."

"Good," said Rex, giving Ash a small nod. He turned his head discontentedly in the direction of the door. "Now if these two would just hurry it up, I can get changed into real clothes and we can get to addressing the issue of our lack of supplies."

"Yeah..." Ash sighed, remembering the meager pickings of the past two days. Stale ramen and canned tomatoes with beans had not proved to be a satisfying meal after a full day on the road, especially with it split between four people.

"And while we're at it, we can get a real dinner somewhere here in town," Rex added. "If you all think I'm cooking for you again tonight, you've lost your minds."

Ash nearly salivated on the floor at the thought of a restaurant-prepared meal. Something warm and flavorful, something professionally prepared, seemed heavenly to him. He would be able to eat as much as he wanted and then come back to a real bed and a real bathroom. It was going to be great.

His reverie was broken by the turning of the door handle.

May poked her head out through the door. She held her bandanna, folded neatly in her hand. Her hair was still slightly wet and was hanging lower than normal, but otherwise she appeared ready. The first thing she saw was the dripping Rex in his sodden shirt, which did no favors for him. Just past him, she noticed Ash, a much more pleasant sight.

"Hey!" she said to him, sounding refreshed, walking out into the hallway. "How did it go with the professor and Oshawott?"

"She let me keep him!" Ash said, unable to contain his smile. May found herself unable to contain hers, either.

"That's awesome!" she said, excitedly making two fists. "So did she send you Oshawott's pokeball?"

"Yep!" Ash said, removing Oshawott's ball from his belt and holding it out for May, proudly. "Oshawott's with us, now!"

Pikachu held up two fingers victoriously and voiced his approval.

Bianca emerged from the room now, adjusting her hat. Rex slipped past her and went inside, closing the door behind him. The lock clicked shortly thereafter.

"Did you hear, Bianca? I get to keep Oshawott!" Ash cheered.

"Oh my gosh oh my gosh!" Bianca replied, running up to Ash and looking closely at the pokeball he still proudly held out for all to see. "That's so great! Hi, Oshawott!" she added, waving at the ball. "Do you think he can hear me in there?"

Ash tilted his head.

"Um, I'm not sure," he said, looking toward May in hopes of getting an answer. May shrugged.

"I dunno," May said. "Some Pokemon seem like they can hear and understand what's going on outside their pokeballs, and some don't. It's kind of a mystery."

"Yeah," Ash said, nodding. "I've seen Pokemon that can break out of their pokeballs whenever they want! But most can't."

"Or at least they don't choose to," May added. "Most know that their trainers don't like it when they do that."

"Tepig hasn't come out of his ball yet unless I've sent him out," said Bianca. "Do you think he can get out without me?"

Both Ash and May shrugged this time. How could they possibly know?

"I guess not," said Ash. "Normally, the Pokemon that don't want to be in pokeballs come bursting out right away."

"That's right," said May. "If Tepig has been traveling with you in his ball for this long without any problems, he probably can't get out without you sending him out."

"Wow, that's kinda scary, you know?" said Bianca, looking to the two of them with wary eyes. "Like, what would happen if I lost Tepig's pokeball and he was in it? Would he just be trapped forever?"

Ash was silent. He had no idea. He hadn't given the concept any serious thought before.

"Maybe so," said May. Upon seeing how devastated Bianca seemed, she immediately expanded upon her answer. "But it's not like it's bad in there! At least, I don't think it is. It's probably kind of like being asleep. I don't think the Pokemon are even aware of what's going on outside."

"But you guys just said that some are!" said Bianca. "You said you've seen it!"

Ash and May looked at each other. Bianca had them cornered, and they had no clue. They both looked worried. How were they supposed to answer this?

"I'm sorry, but I really don't know the answer," said May. "I'm not sure anyone knows what it's like inside a pokeball."

"Hmm..." Bianca hummed, lips tight, looking rather disappointed.

"Pikachu knows," said Ash, looking over to his partner on his shoulder.

Pikachu gave Ash an uncomfortable glance.

"Pikachu hated his pokeball when we first met. He refused to get back in it after I let him out, and I've never put him back in the ball since. He wouldn't even get back inside when we were in danger and it might have saved him a lot of trouble."

Ash's words hung heavily in the hallway. They implied a great deal, none of it good.

Everyone looked at Pikachu. Ever bashful, Pikachu nervously laughed and scratched the back of his neck. All present, including Pikachu, felt nervous to speak.

"Is it bad in there, buddy?" Ash cautiously asked.

Pikachu's response was interrupted by Rex emerging from the room, dressed in his normal clothes again. He was no longer dripping wet, but his damp hair still hung lower than usual, much like May's.

He looked curiously at the group in the hall.

"Why the long faces, guys? I told you I wasn't cooking tonight. We're going to go out and get a real meal."

His mediocre joke garnered no laughs.

"We were talking about pokeballs," said Bianca.

"What about them?" asked Rex.

"What it's like inside them!" said Bianca. "Ash said Pikachu doesn't like them."

Rex raised an eyebrow at her.

"They're supposed to be designed to be comfortable," he said, "but there are some Pokemon that just don't like them."

Pikachu shook his head, clearly disliking the subject.

"Yeah, Pikachu sure doesn't like them," said Ash.

"But what is it like inside them?" Bianca asked.

"I don't know," said Rex. "I'm not sure any human truly knows. I've heard and read lots of conflicting information and accounts about it. Some say that Pokemon are aware of everything going on while they're in there. Others say that it's more like sleep, or anesthesia, so that they can't sense anything. I've heard it can even vary by species and personality."

"But is it bad in there?"

Rex shrugged, at a loss for a better explanation.

"No human truly knows," he said, reiterating his point.

"Even if it's nice and cozy inside them, can you really blame some Pokemon for wanting to get out?" May asked rhetorically. "Nobody wants to be trapped."

Pikachu appeared to very strongly agree with May.

"Very true," said Rex, with a nod. "Now, are we ready to go eat or what?"

* * *

><p>Dinner proved to be an excellent distraction from weighty topics and fatigue. Even more of a distraction, though, was the amount of food consumed. Despite Ash and May combined being about the size of Rex, both of them individually ate at least twice as much food as he did. Bianca and Rex both watched the grotesque consumption, stunned that this was apparently normal.<p>

Upon leaving, it was the topic of discussion.

"How can you two possibly eat that much and still be mobile?" Rex asked Ash and May. He and Bianca were a few steps ahead of them on the sidewalk, not nearly as encumbered by their meals.

"Beats me," said Ash, happily waddling along with his dinner resting comfortably in his stomach. "I just love to eat!"

"If I ate like that, I would gain _so _much weight," said Bianca, sounding jealous.

"And I would gain more than I've already got," said Rex.

"Good genes, I guess," said May, a silly smile on her face. "I think we just both inherited a good metabolism!"

"What's a metabo-what?" asked Ash.

"I don't think I inherited one at all," grumbled Rex, looking discontentedly down at himself.

"So we're going shopping now, right?" Bianca asked, sounding more excited.

"Yes," said Rex, nodding.

"Yay!" she cheered, her steps turning into skips. "I can't wait to see what they have in the stores around here. This town is so cute!"

"I know, right!?" May said, agreeing with her. Ash rolled his eyes.

"We're shopping for supplies," said Rex. He motioned toward Ash and May behind him. "These two eat way more than I thought they would. I wasn't planning on cooking for four, let alone the six that it's actually like. We're going to have to stock up."

"Oh," said Bianca, disappointed. "But can we go to the other stores later?"

"Yeah, seriously, we should go!" said May.

"Sure, it's up to you all," said Rex. "I just need to get supplies."

He paused and glanced at Bianca. He appeared to eye her up and down.

"Although," he continued, "you might want to get some better traveling gear while you're out."

"Huh?"

"Your clothes," he said. "You mi-"

"_My clothes!?_" Bianca exclaimed.

Ash and May both held their breath.

"You might want to get something better for the road," Rex continued. "Something sturdier, more suitable for traveling."

"What's wrong with my clothes!?" Bianca demanded.

She sounded insulted. Rex was either unaware or did not care.

"They're nice, but they aren't appropriate for the kind of journey we're on. You need better shoes, for sure."

"These shoes are cute, though!"

Rex gazed at her, stupefied.

"Are you serious?" he asked.

"Yes! There's nothing wrong with them! I'll wear what I want."

"Suit yourself. When those shoes start to fall apart in a week, don't blame me. It'll be about ten days for us to get to Striaton City. If I were you, I would rather not have that happen out there on the road."

Bianca looked down at her feet, embarrassed. Everyone could see her face starting to turn red.

"Hey guys, what's going on over there in the park?" Ash asked.

Everyone's head turned and looked in the direction Ash was pointing.

There was a congregation of people in the open field of the park in the center of town. A confused tone lingered in the sounds coming from there. Sticking up above the crowd were several banners and flags.

"It looks like it's some kind of demonstration or something," said Rex.

"Like a protest?" said May.

"Beats me," said Rex. "I don't know what they would be protesting. I can't read those flags."

"I'm going to take a look," said Ash. "I wanna see what's going on."

"Me too," said May, following Ash as he stepped out into the crosswalk.

"Guess that leaves us no choice," said Rex, looking at Bianca.

Bianca averted her eyes, but followed the group nonetheless.

After rushing across the street while the nearby stoplight was conveniently red, the group walked across the open lawn, stopping when they reached the rear of the crowd. They could see what was happening now, but the unfortunate truth was that getting closer to the scene didn't make the situation any clearer.

"Who are these people?" Ash asked aloud.

_They _were a group of hooded figures wearing chain mail armor, each with a tabard bearing a bizarre insignia of black, white, and blue. The group was in lock-step, marching like a military unit across the park. The two on the front end and the back end of each line carried a flag, an ornate tapestry that matched the insignia on their armor. In the center of the formation was a man with long, grayish-green hair dressed in the most unusual set of robes anyone present had ever seen. The two sides of his robe were color-reversed mirror images of the other, each bearing a glyph-like pattern of an eye. An odd monocle with a red lens covered one of his eyes.

"They're creepy," said May, rubbing her arms as though she were rather uncomfortable. "I don't know what they're up to, but I don't like the look of it."

"Me neither," said Ash.

"That makes three of us," said Rex.

The cadence of their marching suddenly halted. With practiced precision, the formation split, placed their flags, and fell back into position. This time, they lined up behind the robed character, as if in deference to him. It felt like the entire town had been silenced. The robed man rose his hands up in a triumphant, glorious motion. Ash felt his pulse pound for reasons he couldn't understand.

The silence was broken as the robed man spoke. His voice sent a shiver down both Ash and May's spines.

"My name is Ghetsis," he proclaimed to the townspeople. His voice was strong and he projected it well, as if he had a considerable amount of experience doing this. The unnerving part was his subtle, slow, trailing drawl. "I am here representing Team Plasma."

Ash's jaw dropped.

"What?" he exclaimed with a whisper, looking to May.

"Team _Plasma?_" said May. "Don't tell me this place has its own version of Team Rocket."

Ash wasn't sure if she was right, but he definitely didn't want her to be. For just a moment, the thought crossed Ash's mind that perhaps May would leave if what she said was true.

"I don't know," he whispered back to her, sounding apologetic. "I had no idea about these guys. Sorry."

May gave him a curious look, but then the robed man spoke again.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Ghetsis continued, "I would like to speak to you today about Pokemon liberation."

"_Pokemon liberation?_" Ash whispered, repeating what he had just heard. He was partly unsure if he had heard the words correctly, and he was partly unsure if he wanted to be hearing what he thought he heard.

"I am sure most of you believe that we humans and Pokemon are partners that have come to live together because we want and need each other. However, is that really the truth? Have you ever considered that perhaps we humans only assume this is the truth? Pokemon are subject to the selfish commands of trainers. They get pushed around when they are our 'partners' at work. Can anyone say with confidence that there is no truth to what I am saying?"

Ghetsis paused. The silence was suffocating. Not a single person spoke. Not even in the far-off distance was there any noise. The collective stomachs of Accumula Town were all tied into one nervous knot. Ghetsis slowly, eerily scanned the audience before him, searching for anyone who felt confident enough that they might speak in opposition. He found nobody.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen," he continued, "Pokemon are different from humans. They are living beings that contain unknown potential. They are living beings from whom we humans have much to learn. Tell me, what is our responsibility toward these wonderful beings called Pokemon?"

Again, there was utter silence. Mercifully, Ghetsis did not pause for nearly as long this time.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we must _liberate_ the Pokemon. Then, and only then, will humans and Pokemon truly be equals. Everyone, I end my words here today by imploring you to consider the relationship between people and Pokemon, and the correct way to proceed. We sincerely appreciate your attention."

As if the whole unit was a machine, the line of knights in armor operated in reverse, retrieving their flags, falling back into formation, and then calmly returning from whence they came, all in rigid lock-step. While they disappeared around a street corner and out of sight, Accumula Town returned to life.

Reaction among those present was greatly varied. Some were panicking, others huddled in circles discussing what they had just heard. Others seemed silent and fearful. Ash found himself torn between uncertainty and some kind of sickening fright. One look at May was enough to tell him that she felt the same way.

"And to think we were talking about the ethics of pokeballs earlier today," Rex mused.

"Yeah, that was really weird," said May, worriedly looking at Ash. "That had to be a coincidence, right?"

"I hope so," Ash said. "But, do you think they had a point?"

"They didn't sound like Team Rocket, or Team Aqua, or Team Magma," said May. "I think there may have actually been a point to what that guy said. I mean, it really makes you think, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, it does."

As if the matter was settled, the group started to walk back to the street. Rex lagged behind briefly and shook his head.

"Guys, those people are crazy," he said, catching up to the other three.

"How do you know that?" asked Ash.

"They're a cult!" Rex said, looking astonished that Ash would ask such a question.

"A cult?"

"Yes! It was like all those people in armor worshiped the guy in the robes."

"But why would they do that?"

Rex gave Ash a deadpan glare of disappointment.

"I don't know," he said, "but I'm sure they're some lunatic cult. It's a positive feedback loop. An echo chamber. You start with one person who's insane, that guy finds a few people who agree with his nonsense, and then all of them are only hearing their preferred brand of nonsense all the time. When that's all you ever hear, that's all there is to believe. Without a dissenting opinion present, nobody ever thinks they could be wrong."

May thought for a moment, and then smirked.

"But what if _we're_ the ones in that loop?" she said. "What if we're the ones who have never heard a different opinion before and we've all got the wrong idea because of it?"

"But-"

Rex started to say something, wide-eyed and indignant, but he stopped himself. May had mentally pinned him. She grinned with amusement as she watched the gears in his head slow down and then grind to a screeching halt.

Ash said nothing, but he was impressed. Rex, meanwhile, sighed. Bianca, who had remained silent the whole time, giggled at May's apparent victory.

"I can't disprove what you just said," Rex said, "but I think we have plenty of reasons to believe that we're not all deluding ourselves. I think the evidence is all around us that humankind's relationship with Pokemon works for both sides."

"I agree with you," said May. She was so pleased with herself it was like she was floating. "I still think what that guy said is worth thinking about, though."

"Yeah, it is," said Ash, agreeing with May. "I mean, Pikachu and me have gotten along great for years, but what if we hadn't, you know? What if I had been training Pikachu this whole time, and that wasn't what he wanted?"

Pikachu chimed in with a few words, but his reply was quickly interrupted. A rather harried individual came running up to them. He spoke to Ash.

"Your Pokemon... Just now, it was saying..."

Ash was so startled by how quickly the newcomer appeared that he jumped in surprise. It was like he had appeared from nowhere. There was something unsettling about him.

He was of tall, slender stature, and perhaps slightly older than everyone else present. On his head was a cap of black and gray, and streaming out from beneath it was a considerable length of green hair. His complexion was as pale as his white shirt, which stood in stark contrast to the additional black shirt he wore beneath it. Beige pants, green shoes, bizarre ornaments on both his wrists, hanging from his neck, and dangling from his pocket, he appeared as if he was at odds with every societal norm all at once. Perhaps strangest of all was his face. His eyes were as gray as cold steel, empty and distant. Despite that, he bore an enigmatic smile that didn't pinpoint any emotion. Not a single thing about him made sense.

There was a long pause.

"...what?" Ash finally said.

"Your Pokemon, it was talking. It was saying that-"

"You could understand what Pikachu was saying?"

"Can you not?"

"I kinda can, but not always," said Ash. "Who are you, anyway?"

"How sad," the stranger said, assembling a set of facial cues that looked like an attempt at disappointment. "My name is N."

"_N?_" said Ash, not even attempting to conceal the confusion on his face or the incredulous tone of his voice.

"Yes, that is correct."

"Like, the letter N?" Bianca inquired, every bit as confused as Ash.

"I told you my name because that is what people do when they introduce themselves to one another, is it not?" said N. "What is your name?"

Ash blinked a couple of times. There was something disarming about N's speech, at least partially because of how fast it was. The rhythm of his words was unnatural, as if he had only the barest grasp on verbal language.

"I'm Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town," he said. "I'm on a journey to become a Pokemon master."

"A master, eh?" said N. "So, you're going to confine many, many Pokemon in pokeballs for that, then. I'm a trainer, too, but I can't help wondering... Are Pokemon really happy that way?"

Nobody among the group made a sound. As far as Ash was concerned, this was all officially no longer a coincidence.

May ventured a chance at being conversational with him.

"So, did you hear that Team Plasma guy's speech, too?" she asked.

"Yes, and I wonder..." N said ponderously, not bothering to finish his sentence.

Unsure how to proceed, Ash followed May's example.

"It made me wonder, too," said Ash. "Those people were really weird, but they might have had a point."

"Yes," said N. "Ash, is it? Let me hear your Pokemon's voice again."

"What do you mean?" asked Ash. He pointed toward his shoulder. "Pikachu is right here. If you want to hear something, Pikachu can say a few words for you."

"No, not like that," N said. "Purrloin, my friend, let us demonstrate to them what we mean."

To everyone's surprise, N pulled out a pokeball from his pocket and threw it. Emerging from within, a purple, spotted, feline Pokemon appeared.

"But you were just talking about how you weren't sure if it was okay to keep Pokemon in pokeballs," said Ash, scratching his head.

"I want to hear Pikachu's voice again," said N. "It was saying something very interesting before."

"Okay," said Ash. "But I don't know what to do! Pikachu, do you wanna talk to this guy for a little while so we can find out what's going on?"

Pikachu shook his head quite forcefully. No, he did not want to talk to N. That was _not _something he wanted.

"You need to call out a move for it to use," said N.

Ash hesitated for a moment.

"Wait, you mean you wanna _battle_ with me?"

"If that is what you want to call it, then yes, it is a battle."

"If you want a battle, then I accept your challenge!" said Ash.

"But we're in the middle of the street!" said Bianca, interjecting. "Shouldn't we go somewhere else?"

"I think Ash has this under control," May said to her.

"Are you sure?"

"Mhmm. I'm very sure," said May.

Ash considered how to proceed. This was as curious a challenge as he had ever received. He wasn't sure what to make of the competition. N was bizarre, and his skill level was uncertain. His Purrloin looked like it was experiencing mixed emotions. Something about this didn't add up. This battle didn't feel right to him. He wanted a better idea of what his opponent could do.

"I'll let you have the first move," Ash said.

"Use Scratch," said N.

Purrloin jumped forward, ready to pounce on Pikachu. Its claws were visibly extended, sharp and gleaming.

Ash was unimpressed by its speed.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack to dodge!" he commanded.

Snapping to life like lightning, Pikachu leaped forward, past Purrloin's strike, and began darting about in a frenetic manner. Front, back, above, on all sides, Purrloin's reflexes were far outmatched. There was no way it was going to land a hit with Pikachu moving at such speeds.

"Use Sand Attack."

Purrloin kicked at the ground, causing a cloud of dirt to stir up in an attempt to blind its opponent. It blanketed the area, covering everything.

"Up into the air, Pikachu! Use Iron Tail to launch yourself out of the sand cloud!"

Pikachu's tail glossed over with a silvery metallic sheen, and it shot into the air as if catapulted. The crafty maneuver did not go unnoticed, however. Purrloin easily jumped out of the cloud and followed Pikachu.

"Now, down, Pikachu! Strike it with your Iron Tail!"

"Use Pursuit," said N.

Pikachu descended down from above, and Purrloin leaped up from below. Pikachu, however, placed his strike much more accurately than his opponent. Tail collided with head, and Purrloin crashed back to the ground, swatted away easily. The sand cloud dissipated, and Pikachu made a deft landing, ready to strike again.

"Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded, his fists clenched. Pikachu spent little time charging up for the assault. As the electricity flowed forth, Ash bit his lip, having second thoughts about what he had just commanded his partner to do.

Ash squinted. The brilliant flash of light from Pikachu's Thunderbolt bombarded his eyes. As things already were, Purrloin was struggling to stand. Ash knew that this battle was over, but he didn't want to look. Purrloin hadn't even been a challenge.

To his dismay, even after the taking a direct hit from the Thunderbolt, Purrloin hadn't given up. It was struggling mightily to get back on its feet. There simply wasn't any getting around it. It was best to end this as soon as possible.

Ash hesitated momentarily, not at all eager to deliver the finishing blow.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack," he said.

Pikachu dashed at Purrloin with his usual blinding speed, moving like a glowing blur. There was a firm thump as Pikachu drove his shoulder into Purrloin's face. Pikachu came to a halt, but Purrloin rolled over several times down the sidewalk, stopping when it finally collided with N's foot.

Ash felt uneasy as he watched Purrloin struggle, cough, and shake, giving up shortly thereafter. He averted his eyes from the sorry scene and instead focused them on N. As soon as he looked, he regretted it. N was as still as stone, expressionless and completely cold. His utter lack of emotion was unsettling.

"I... wow, sorry," Ash said, removing his hat out of respect. "Pikachu and I didn't mean to do _that_ much damage."

Pikachu frowned, his ears drooping. Victory in battle was one thing, but delivering an unfair beating was another. Winning wasn't enjoyable at all when there was no competition involved. In fact, it felt pretty bad.

N was staring straight ahead, blank. His eyes looked to be out of focus.

"I never expected to hear Pokemon say such things..." he whispered.

Ash tilted his head awkwardly. He didn't understand this guy at all. Neither of the Pokemon had said anything.

"I might not be able to understand how Pokemon talk, but I do understand Pikachu's feelings," Ash said. "I've spent years with Pikachu, and I know Pikachu hasn't said anything weird today. I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes, I am aware," N hastily replied, the words leaving his mouth before Ash finished speaking. Ash flinched in surprise. With the way N was gazing ahead, he hadn't been sure that the guy was going to hear any of what he said.

May could feel that both her firsts and jaw were clenched, but she couldn't remember consciously doing so. She could taste the tension in the air.

"You should do something about Purrloin. It needs help!" said Ash, attempting to get N to look him in the eyes. N's eyes appeared completely vacant.

Unexpectedly, N knelt down and scooped up his battered Purrloin in his arms. He blinked a few times and then looked directly at Ash.

"As long as Pokemon are confined in pokeballs, they will never become perfect beings."

"So, what are you going to do?" Ash inquired. "You need to help Purrloin!"

"I have to change the world for Pokemon, because they are my friends."

At that, N turned and began walking away without any further words.


	7. Vigil

Chapter Seven – Vigil

May walked ahead of the rest of the traveling party, with her fingers held up in front of her face as if they were a camera, framing an imaginary picture.

"Welcome, die-hard mystery fans and fellow travelers, to the program you've all been waiting for! It's another thrilling adventure on May's Expeditions!"

Ash laughed. It had been a long time since he had seen this routine. Everyone else looked confused.

May spun around to face the rest of the group, as if she was filming them. Walking backwards, she continued her narration.

"Seeking out the wonders of the world, today our heroes find themselves on the road in Unova. Following this bubbling stream through the wilderness, they are on their way north to Striaton City! Nightfall is a few short hours away, and soon they must seek out a suitable site for a camp, or otherwise face the night cold and hungry, without shelter. What will become of them in this dire situation? Stay tuned!"

"_Dire?_" said Bianca, hand up to her mouth, gravely concerned. "That's bad, right?"

May quickly adjusted her finger-camera's positioning and zoomed in on Bianca.

"It seems there is unrest among the traveling party! Has morale reached a new low? How do our more seasoned adventurers feel?"

She panned her frame over to focus on Ash. Killing the drama, he was just laughing, hand behind his neck, with Pikachu doing the same atop his shoulder.

Then, she panned over to focus on Rex. He frowned and rolled his eyes.

"It's not dire," Rex said to Bianca. "There's plenty of light left."

"Are you sure?" said Bianca.

"Yeah, no worries," said Ash. He pointed into the distance. "I think I see a clearing up ahead. That might be a good place for us to stop for the day."

Rex removed a crinkled map from his back pocket and unfolded it.

"If I'm reading this thing correctly, and if my memory serves me, we're not far from the edge of this forest. This stream should lead us into a meadow. We shouldn't be more than a mile away, at most."

May spun around, facing forward again. She squinted as she pretended to zoom in on the distance.

"Alas, it seems there is a sliver of hope for our weary travelers!" she said. "Your intrepid narrator can see more light poking through the trees up ahead. Could our navigator's hunch be correct? Will this fabled meadow provide them with the respite they so desperately need? How will they shelter themselves from the unknown of the creeping night? All this and more, after these messages."

* * *

><p>"Come on, May! Can you please help me?"<p>

Ash struggled under the load of heavy wood, taking step after uncertain step with a stack of fallen branches in his arms. The stack he carried reached all the way up to his face, obscuring his vision. Pikachu ran ahead of him through the edge of the forest, trying as best he could to direct Ash back toward the open meadow and avoid falling, but the communication gap was proving difficult.

May followed the two from behind, still pretending to film them. Framing the scene with her fingers, she continued to narrate.

"Now, one of our travelers has located wood for a fire – a fire that will provide everyone with warmth and light through the night. Observe the cooperation between Pokemon and trainer as Pikachu directs him where to go."

"I'm serious, if you don't help, I'm making you do this yourself next time!" said Ash. "Me and Pikachu will follow you the whole time and pretend we have cameras, too!"

"Frustration appears to be setting in," May whispered to her nonexistent audience. Then, she put her finger camera down and responded to Ash. "Oh well! That's the price I pay. This is too much fun!"

Ash turned his head and saw that May was now following him with her arms folded, a playful smile on her face. She was clearly pleased with herself. Meanwhile, his arms were straining. They seared with the discomfort of overexertion.

"Please, May!" Ash said, practically begging this time. "I really need your help! I'm gonna drop all this!"

May shifted her eyes up and away, as if she was thinking.

"How about you give me one of your cookies?"

"What? No way!"

"If you let me have one, I'll help you."

"But I'm running out already!"

"Whose fault is that?"

"It's yours!" said Ash. "If you hadn't tried to get one from me every night since we left town, the box would still be half-full right now! Instead it's almost empty!"

"Maybe you shouldn't have let me have them, then," May said, sticking her tongue out at him.

"That's right!" said Ash. "I shouldn't have! You should have bought your own box back in town!"

"I'm going to buy my own box next time," said May, "but you should let me have one of yours tonight."

"Why?!"

"Because if you let me have one, I'll help you!"

For a moment, Ash felt an acute desire to rip his hair out, but his presently encumbered arms prevented him from acting on that impulse.

"Alright, you can have one," he said, acquiescing in defeat.

"Yes!" May cheered, pumping her fist.

"Just please help me," Ash whimpered, eagerly handing off some of the wood to May.

A few minutes later, back at their campsite at the edge of the woods, Ash finally let the load down. He groaned in relief, massaging his tired arms. He and May found Rex overseeing Bianca building an enclosure for their campfire out of gathered stones.

"Is this right?" Bianca asked. She was kneeling next to her handiwork, pointing at the circle of stones.

"Looks good to me," said Rex. "I think it's big enough. Do you have the tinder?"

Bianca pouted, scooping up a fistful of dried needles and weeds from a pile next to the circle of stones and placing it inside the enclosure.

"Yes," she said. "I hate picking this stuff! Why do you always have to make me do this the hard way? Why can't we just use a fire Pokemon to light it?"

"Because you're not always guaranteed to have one with you when you're out in the wild," said Rex. "You've got to learn to do things by yourself. Be self-sufficient."

"When you were traveling alone, did you start fires this way?"

"No, but that's not the point."

"If you wouldn't do this, why are you making me?"

"So that you won't die of hypothermia if you're ever separated from the group and Tepig is injured."

Bianca continued to pout at him.

"Come on, this is an important survival skill," Rex said, trying his best to sound more supportive. It didn't sound entirely genuine. "It's not so hard, either. Here," he said, taking a flint from a pocket of his bag and tossing it to her. "You know what to do."

Bianca did indeed know what to do. Over and over again, she struck the flint with the backside of Rex's bush knife. The sparks were flying, but fire was nowhere to be seen. The tinder was smoldering, but she couldn't quite seem to coax the flames out of it.

Ash and May exchanged glances of understanding. This was going to take a while.

"Wanna kill some time?" Ash asked her.

"Depends. What do you want to do?" May asked back.

Ash gave her a look she had seen hundreds of times before.

"I wanna battle!" he said. "I can test out my new Pidove against you!"

"Okay!" said May. She smiled at him with a fire in her eyes. "I accept your challenge!"

"Just keep it away from the camp, you two," said Rex. "And please don't disturb the other Pokemon."

Ash and May understood that the other Pokemon Rex was referring to were most likely his, and not disturbing them was undoubtedly good advice. The two of them looked warily over at the group of Pokemon gathered at the perimeter of their campsite. When they had shed down their gear for the evening, they sent out all of their Pokemon to get some fresh air, relax, and eat.

May had brought five Pokemon with her to Unova. As she had explained to Ash, the open sixth slot in her party was so that if she caught anything while she was here, she wouldn't have to wait until they reached a Pokemon center so she could swap out one of her other Pokemon for it. Among that group at the edge of camp were her five most trusted battlers: Blaziken, Venusaur, Wartortle, Glaceon, and Beautifly. Skitty and Munchlax, she had decided, were much better suited to staying with her family at home.

Joining May's Pokemon were those of Ash and Bianca: Oshawott, Pidove, and Tepig were all amicably playing and conversing with May's Pokemon, with Pikachu scurrying over to join them.

The other six in the group belonged to Rex, and their personalities all seemed to bear an uncanny resemblance to that of their trainer. Excadrill, Torterra, Camerupt, Gigalith, Conkeldurr, and Ferrothorn all lounged quietly in the late afternoon sun, seeming content to be left alone.

"Is there one of my Pokemon in particular you want to battle?" May asked Ash.

"Yeah, there is," he said. "Hey Pikachu! Tell Pidove and Beautifly to come join us over here!"

Pikachu looked back at Ash and nodded, then spoke individually to both Pidove and Beautifly. The two of them took flight and soon thereafter landed with their trainers, out in the open meadow.

"So you must have wanted Pidove to battle against the only other flying Pokemon we have with us," said May, giving Ash a look that showed she knew what he was planning.

"Yep!" said Ash. "That's right. I want to see what Pidove can do in the air. Are you ready?"

Ash directed his question at Pidove, who stood near his feet, pecking at the ground. Pidove did not respond. Both Ash and May sweatdropped.

"I guess Pidove isn't used to having a trainer yet?" May suggested.

"I dunno," said Ash. "Maybe it just needs some time to get used to all this."

Ash knelt down in front of Pidove and made eye contact with it. Now, seemingly understanding that it was being addressed, Pidove readily stood at attention, firmly focused. Ash scratched his head, thinking.

Pidove hadn't responded particularly well to being captured. Two nights ago, Pidove's first with the group, it had tried to fight with all the other Pokemon. Yet, to Ash's surprise, once Pidove realized it was upsetting everyone, it immediately calmed down and became a gregarious and attentive Pokemon. He wasn't sure what to expect from it in battle. Now, with nothing at stake, was the best time to find out.

The two trainers stood a fair distance apart in the open field. It was time.

"Ready, Beautifly?" said May. Beautifly sat perched atop her outstretched arm, and nodded in the affirmative. It took off and faced its opponent.

Pikachu sat atop Ash's shoulder, ready to support Pidove in any way he could. Ash held up a fist.

"Alright Pidove, this our first battle together. Just follow my commands and do the best you can!"

Taking Ash's address unexpectedly seriously, Pidove turned its head toward Ash and saluted in understanding with its wing. It made May giggle.

"Looks like it understands you so far!" she said. "Let's hope it stays that way."

Ash gripped the brim of his hat and adjusted it. Even though this was only a training battle, he had no intention of losing.

"Pidove, use Quick Attack!"

"Beautifly, Aerial Ace!"

In their opening contest of speed, Pidove had moved first, and it was the clear winner. As Beautifly attempted to strafe and get behind it, Pidove charged into its opponent's abdomen, landing a clean hit. Pidove then backed off, and it became clear that Beautifly was not particularly damaged.

"Use Gust, Pidove!"

"You too, Beautifly!"

Ash suspected he knew how this exchange would turn out before he saw it, and his guess was correct. The two Pokemon both directed gusts of wind at each other, but the larger, more experienced Beautifly's attack was much more powerful. It blew away Pidove's attack, and then blew away Pidove itself. Ash's Pokemon tumbled to the ground, flapping frantically to right itself.

"Now, Quiver Dance!"

May accentuated her command with a graceful hand motion and a full spin, a technique that Ash figured May must have picked up from her contests. Still, he had no idea what the move she ordered was supposed to do. Beautifly was glowing and appeared to be vibrating, swaying from side to side rhythmically.

"Quick Attack, Pidove! Strike it before it can finish its move!"

Pidove looked at Ash and tilted its head, confused.

"Quick Attack!" Ash commanded again. Pikachu echoed him, trying to make the order perfectly clear.

This time, Pidove took off and charged at Beautifly, but it was too late.

"Now, Silver Wind!" said May.

Ash could see that Pidove was going to take a direct hit, and a strong one at that. It was plain to see that Beautifly's strength had greatly increased. While Beautifly gathered power for the attack, he gave another order.

"Forget about attacking Beautifly! Use Quick Attack to dodge!" he said.

Only a few feet away from its opponent, Pidove stopped in the air and turned around, once again looking to Ash with its head tilted to the side.

"No, Pidove! Get out of the way!"

It was no use. Pidove was blindsided by Beautifly's Silver Wind, and was hurled through the air a fair distance, crashing to the ground several feet behind Ash. Pikachu immediately hopped off of Ash's shoulder and ran over to where Pidove landed, with Ash right behind him. To everyone's great surprise, however, Pidove was already back on its feet.

"Are you okay, Pidove?" Ash said, kneeling down next to his Pokemon.

The question seemed pointless as Pidove staggered while trying to step forward. The answer was very clearly no, but Pidove was stubborn. Pikachu tried to urge it to rest, but Pidove took another step forward, and then spread its wings and took to the air again. Its flight was wobbly.

"Pidove, you should rest," said Ash. "That's enough for now. I appreciate you trying so hard, but I don't want you to get hurt."

Pidove didn't seem to be listening. It was flying unsteadily toward Beautifly.

"Ash, you should call Pidove back to its ball!" May called from across their battlefield.

Ash reached to his belt, but then had an unfortunate realization.

"Aw, no!" he groaned. "I left my pokeballs at the campsite!"

May appeared startled for a moment, but then she had an idea.

"Beautifly, use Whirlwind!"

Beautifly complied. Whipping at the air with its wings, it created a vortex of wind, then blew it toward its slowly oncoming opponent. Pidove was sucked inside, then rapidly spun around and shot back out in the direction from which it came, exceedingly dizzy and confused. As soon as Pidove could steady itself, it landed, collapsing to the ground.

The two trainers both rushed to where Pidove lay, concerned.

Ash knelt down and scooped Pidove up in his arms.

"Thanks, Pidove," he said. "That was a great effort. You gave it everything you had."

"Yeah, definitely," said May, nodding in agreement. "If you always keep getting up like that, you'll be a great battler one day."

Ash smiled at May. He couldn't deny how impressed he was. May was a much stronger trainer than the last time they met. Her quick thinking had saved Pidove from further injury, and she even complimented Pidove with exactly the words he was about to say.

Standing up, Ash looked at May with great determination. It was exactly the kind of look that Ash was known for, and for some reason, it made May smile bashfully.

"Thanks for the battle, May," he said. "That was great."

"You're very welcome," May replied. Then, she smiled deviously. "And don't forget, you still owe me a cookie tonight."

Ash groaned.

* * *

><p>The campfire crackled. May lay comfortably curled up in her sleeping bag, gazing silently up at the night sky. Nearby, gathered around the fire, she could hear Ash snoring lightly, already asleep. Bianca was quiet, clearly getting closer to slumber. Only Rex remained awake. The sounds of writing came from his direction, as he lay stretched between trees in his hammock, scribbling in a journal by the dim light of the fire.<p>

Pokemon lay all around, sleeping outside their balls. Pikachu was sleeping next to Ash, and Tepig next to Bianca, but most of the other Pokemon were huddled together, watching over the perimeter of their camp. With the combined forces of May and Rex's parties, there was little doubt about their safety. The only other Pokemon not huddled in the group at the perimeter was Excadrill, who dozed quietly at the base of one of the trees to which Rex's hammock was attached.

May couldn't remember the last time she felt this content. Their journey so far had been so carefree. The days had passed with she and Ash reminiscing about their travels together, and the two of them and Rex helping introduce Bianca to life on the road. It reminded her so much of the first days of her journey many years ago, with Ash and Brock doing the same for her.

It was so different from her time traveling in Johto.

And the cookie had been delicious.

* * *

><p>May felt the refreshing breeze of the pastoral farmlands caressing her face and whipping through her hair. She found herself at a familiar vista, one she had once found herself at years before, almost as nervous as she was right now. Just like the last time she was here, she stopped at the road sign and read it four or five times, trying to be absolutely sure. Each time she read it, it remained consistent. Her destination was just ahead.<p>

The downhill walk into the town was oddly sobering, very much like she remembered from her previous time here. To come all this way on a whim was a risky enough move to get even her stomach a little uneasy, even though she loved being able to pick up and travel so far on a mere moment's notice, maybe less. The reality of her situation sank in as she descended into the streets. No matter how she broke it down, logically speaking it was foolish for her to be here. Not only was the person she was here to see unaware that she was coming, she wasn't even sure if he was home.

Even if he was home, what was she going to say? It wasn't like last time, how she just couldn't give up traveling with him. It had been years since she gave that up. She needed a new explanation, and soon. She wanted to kick herself for not having thought about this earlier. She couldn't really blame herself, though. Having the freedom to do something like this was enough to make her head spin.

For the umpteenth time that day, she felt her heart flutter as the vivid fantasy of the ideal scenario crossed her mind again, playing like a movie in her head. His doorstep, the opening door, his surprised face, the overwhelming emotion, and then the embrace... And then next, a confession? A kiss? An entire afternoon, evening, and most of the night spent with just the two of them cuddled up on the squashy sofa, watching cheesy movies on television and sharing stories from their time apart. Could it be real? Or would it only be a fantasy?

As she progressed down the sidewalk toward his side of town, she saw an oddly familiar figure off in the distance, seated on a park bench. The features were only vague at this distance. She couldn't be sure, but she had a good idea who it was. Or perhaps, a bad idea. Or maybe a set of ideas with a bunch of conflicting emotions. Yes, that was it.

"I knew I'd find you here," Drew coolly said to her. He sat on the bench loosely and calmly, one leg atop the other and an arm outstretched along the top of the backrest. He looked at her with his penchant half-smirk, his expression half sardonic and half sultry, with that glint in his eyes that drove women wild. May felt a chip in her armor, a sign of weakness in her resolve, as the realization hit her that he was in her way.

"Why are you here?" she asked him, not at all interested in making smalltalk today. She knew that ordinarily he would have no business being here. The only reason he would have ever come to this place would be because of her.

Drew stood and whisked the hair out of his eyes with a flick of his wrist, settling with his hands in his pockets as he casually leaned against a lamppost. He eyed May levelly, his grin making it all too clear that he knew exactly how to get under her skin, and he loved it.

"Oh, no reason," he said, smugly shutting his eyes as he spoke, then opening them up again to give her a particularly piercing glance. "I just figured I might stop by and watch the fireworks. This is a pretty place, you know."

May folded her arms and scowled at him with immense distaste.

"Oh please," she disgustedly replied. "Do you expect me to believe that? That's a lie if I've ever heard one. You're here to mess with me and we both know it."

"Maybe it is a lie," said Drew, unfazed. "Maybe we do both know it. But why does that matter when we also both know that you're lying to yourself?"

"What in the _world_ are you talking about?" May asked in reply.

"You already know the answer," Drew stated. "You just aren't looking for it hard enough."

"So you're here to aggravate me and call me a liar. Is that it?"

"No, I'm here to make it clear to you that you're making a really bad decision. You're throwing away the obvious solution for something that you don't have any idea whether or not it will work."

"The only thing that's obvious about your 'solution' is that it doesn't work,' May spat back at him. "I'm not giving up anything."

"That's what you think," Drew taunted back at her.

May narrowed her glance. Drew was up to something, and she knew it.

"What do you have up your sleeve?" she asked him. "I know you've got something up there."

"The only thing I've got up these sleeves of mine is the truth," Drew told her. "And the truth is that you don't want to face reality. The truth is that you want to hide from your problems, to forget about them. The truth is that you're running away."

"I'm not running," May said firmly. "I'm facing reality head-on. I've already dealt with one set of problems and I'm here to deal with another, for better or for worse. Now, good-_bye_."

With that accentuated final syllable, May turned sharply on her heels and stormed off down the street. Enough was enough. She knew in the first place that talking to him was going to be nothing but trouble, so why did she bother to do it anyway?

"You know this isn't over," Drew called after her as she grew farther and farther away. "It's a real shame you're making it like this."

Two dozen white picket fences later, she found the one she was seeking. A quaint little house much like all the others, the only reason she knew it was the one was because of the memory of arriving at the doorstep years before. She could smell the rich, earthy aroma of the well-tended and teeming garden, vegetables ripe on the vine and nearly ready to be picked. All was very quiet.

Her footsteps broke the drowning silence as she ascended the short wooden staircase onto the house's front porch. She wondered if there was anyone inside, and if perhaps they could hear her approach. She hadn't been aware of it until now, but she could feel the moisture on her palms. She tried to remember if she felt the same way the last time she was here, but she couldn't remember.

Without thinking, she pressed the button for the doorbell. She could hear a muffled chime come from within, but nothing more. She stood very still. If nobody was home, then what was she going to do? Wait here until someone showed up? She didn't even know how long that would be.

She was badly startled as she heard the click of the front door being unlocked and the sweeping noise of it being pulled open. She was caught completely by surprise. Whoever had come to open it must have tread lightly. She had not heard their approach.

And then, she suddenly understood why.

Through the glass of the exterior door, May locked her startled eyes with someone who was mirroring her expression. Someone who she wanted to see equally as much as she wanted to see Drew. Someone who had just as little reason to be here.

Dawn shifted her slight figure behind the door awkwardly.

"Um, hi," she said to May, blinking a few times in confusion.

"Hi," May replied.

May looked back at Dawn with equal confusion. This wasn't Dawn's house. This wasn't even the right continent. Why did she answer the door?

Without so much as the slightest explanation, Dawn hastily shut the solid interior wooden door behind her and turned the lock. Before May could say anything, Dawn retreated into the confines of the house.

"Wait!" May cried after her, slamming her palm onto the door frame.

"There's no use calling after her," sighed yet another familiar voice. "Trust me, I would know."

May turned her head and saw someone she didn't quite recognize, not until she looked the person in the eyes. Everything else had changed since their last encounter, but not her eyes.

"Misty?" May asked, shocked.

Misty sat in a chair at the far end of the porch, nodding glumly in reply. She had matured considerably since they last met. She had grown into her figure, and now that she had finally decided to grow her hair out, she really looked like a woman. May was impressed. Misty's expression was an enigma, to be sure. Those eyes still shone with the joy of youth, but her countenance betrayed a great sorrow.

"Yep, it's me," said Misty.

"But what are you doing here?" May inquired, horribly confused. Looking back toward the closed door, everything began to overwhelm her. None of this made sense. "What is _Dawn_ doing here?"

"Oh, _her_," Misty groaned, putting her head in her hands. "She followed him back here from Sinnoh."

"But why?"

"For the same reason you followed him back here from Hoenn. For the same reason I followed him for all those years. For the same reason you're here now, I presume."

"How... how did you know?" asked May, feeling a blush rising on her face.

"It's way more obvious than you think. To everyone but him, at least."

"So why is Dawn inside, but you're sitting out here? Why did she shut the door on me like that? Did she do that to you, too?"

"Yes, she did."

"Why would she do that?"

"Because she won, and you and me both lost."

"What?!" exclaimed May, beginning to feel a horrified panic well up in her throat.

"See for yourself," Misty moped, pointing with her thumb toward a window. May approached cautiously, noticing that the blinds weren't drawn all the way. Like a kid staring into a toy store, she pressed her face against the glass. She could see inside. As she looked around, she could feel her breathing intensifying.

Then, she stopped breathing altogether.

She could see them. They were on the sofa together. They were all over each other. Their lips melded together. Their hands wandered adventurously. They were lost in passion, blissfully unaware of their onlookers.

May stifled a cry, tears instantly beginning to flow out of her eyes. She collapsed to her knees right beneath the window. She tried to speak, but nothing sensible came out. Instead, she just sobbed. Gripping onto her hair as if she thought her head was going to implode, she wept.

"I guess you see what I mean now," Misty said. "Believe me, I know it's hard to take. I've already had a few dozen good cries about it over the years. Heh, I think some of them were actually caused by me finding out how attached he was to you."

"But... b-but..." May choked and stammered, the tears dampening her collar and causing her hair to stick to her reddened face. "But... th-this can't be real!"

"What do you mean?" Misty asked her in return. "You can't escape reality. You're trapped in it."

* * *

><p>May's eyes fluttered open. As she stirred from her sleep, she was immensely grateful to see the smoldering remains of the fire a few feet away. It hadn't been real. It was only a dream.<p>

Everyone else was sound asleep now. Ash's snoring had ceased, but he continued to breathe deeply and slowly, completely unaware in slumber. Bianca and Tepig still rested peacefully. Rex was still in his hammock, with his journal laying open, face-down on his chest. It appeared he had drifted off to sleep while writing.

May took in a deep breath and then sighed, quite a bit more loudly than she intended. To her surprise, she saw Excadrill open an eye and look directly at her.

For a moment, she froze, as if she was in a predator's line of sight. Then, timidly, she withdrew a hand from her sleeping bag and awkwardly waved at Excadrill.

The fierce Pokemon gave her the slightest of nods, then closed its eyes again.

May shifted her gaze to Ash. His slow, steady breaths were accompanied by slight twitches every now and then. She wondered what he was dreaming about.

There was no way to know. Shifting around in her sleeping bag, she rolled from her side onto her back, and gazed up at the stars. For a few minutes, she watched the pinpoints of light above her as they performed their nightly dance across the sky. For as many times as she had watched them, they still seemed as unknowable as Ash's dream.

Suddenly, she found that she wasn't the only one awake. She turned her head and saw Rex coming back to life in his hammock, picking up his journal again and this time shutting it properly. As he reached over the side of his hammock to slip the notebook into his bag, he caught notice of her. Their eyes met briefly.

"What are you still doing up?" he said to her, quietly. "My cooking can't possibly have caused you indigestion tonight. It wasn't _that_ bad."

May allowed a hint of a smile to form on her face, and she shook her head.

"No, I just had a bad dream, that's all," she whispered back to him.

Rex cautiously slid his notebook into place in his backpack, taking care not to make too much noise.

"Understood," he said.

"What are you doing up?" May asked him.

"I just drifted off for a while," he said. "I'm always up late, though. I like keeping the night watch."

"Don't you think our Pokemon have that covered?"

Rex turned his eyes toward the dozen Pokemon scattered around their camp.

"Probably so," he said.

For a moment, he appeared to lay back again and look up at the sky, and May turned her head and did the same, thinking that was the last she would hear from him tonight. But then, not more than a minute or two later, she heard him rise from his hammock and begin searching through his backpack as quietly as he could.

May looked at him again.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

When Rex turned to face her, he was holding a black, metallic flashlight. He hadn't yet turned it on.

"If you're having trouble sleeping, would you care for a walk?" he asked her.

"No thank you," said May. "I shouldn't have any trouble getting back to sleep."

"Alright," said Rex, nodding. Without another word, he stepped past the sleeping Pokemon and out into the open field. May heard a click, and she saw a small patch of white light start to move away from the camp.

May stopped watching after a short while, when the footsteps became too soft for her to hear. She shifted again in her sleeping bag, trying to find a more comfortable position. After a few failed attempts, she started to reconsider Rex's offer.

Trying to make as little noise as possible, May pulled herself out of her sleeping bag and slipped her shoes back on. Tiptoeing through the camp, she made her way over to Blaziken, who was resting with the other Pokemon. She gently placed a hand on his arm and rubbed it a few times, stirring him back to consciousness.

"Blaziken," she whispered, seeing her Pokemon's eyes open and turn to look at her. "I'm going to go for a short walk. Would you come with me, please?"

Blaziken nodded and rose to his feet. Side by side with May, the two walked out into the field, searching for where Rex went. May's motivation in choosing Blaziken had been simple – with the flames on Blaziken's wrists, she had no need for a flashlight.

The field was a gently rolling hill that led from the edge of the forest down to a stream. Silhouetted in the darkness, May could see the outline of Rex seated by the bank of the stream, leaning back on both hands, looking upward. As May and Blaziken approached, Rex turned his head to see them. His flashlight was shut off now, sitting on the ground next to him.

"Changed your mind?" he asked her.

"Yeah, I did," said May, looking back momentarily at the camp. She figured that at this distance, there would be no problem with talking at a normal volume. "I had more trouble falling asleep again than I thought I would."

"Well, plenty of room here," said Rex, motioning around. "You can claim whichever patch of dirt you like the best."

May examined the ground. There was nowhere that looked to be comfier than anywhere else. She sat down a few feet away from Rex, the cool grass tickling and scratching at her legs. Blaziken remained by her side, standing, arms folded, looking at the sky.

For a while, the only sounds were those of the flowing stream before them. May was wondering why she chose to do this. The dream that woke her up lingered in her mind.

"So you and Ash have traveled together before," said Rex, breaking the silence by stating what little he knew about the situation.

"Yeah, we did, a few years ago," said May. "I met him on the first day of my journey as a trainer."

"And he helped show you the ropes and got you started back then?"

"Yeah, he was a huge help. I don't know what I would have done without him. I was really clueless when I started."

"And now the two of you are helping Bianca get started on her journey, just like Ash helped you."

"Mhmm," hummed May, nodding. She couldn't contain the smile on her lips.

Rex smirked and shook his head.

"Well, that's just adorable," he said.

"_Adorable?_" said May, halfway laughing at how ridiculous it sounded coming from him.

"Absolutely," said Rex, nodding and looking straight ahead. "First Ash mentors you, then you go out in the world on your own, and then you reunite and help Bianca together. There's something poetic about that."

"Yeah," said May, finding that she actually agreed with him. "There kinda is, isn't there?"

Rex nodded. After a few quiet moments, he laid backwards and stretched out on the ground, tucking his hands behind his head. Not interested in dirtying her shirt, May remained seated upright. Her thoughts drifted to her first days on the road as a trainer. It was easy to see the comparison between how Ash worked with her then and how she and Ash were working with Bianca now. Although his choice of words was strange, Rex seemed to have the right idea. It really was cute.

"There's just nobody quite like Ash," May continued. "I've never met anyone like him. I've seen him do some unbelievable things. He always overcomes the odds."

May paused for a moment and saw Rex looking curiously at her.

"He always makes everyone around him so happy," May finished.

"Could I ask you a personal question?" said Rex.

May gave him a worried, confused look.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Why did you decide to come to Unova, anyway? What brought you here? Was it just the chance to travel with Ash again?"

"It… it wasn't _just _Ash," she said. "There were other reasons."

May felt immensely grateful for the darkness, for it shrouded the redness of her face. She couldn't believe how embarrassed she presently felt.

"Why do you ask?" she ventured after Rex offered no reply.

"I'm simply curious," he said. "I'm curious about what drives you. It seems like Ash has a clear goal in mind, but I'm not sure you do. Not that there's anything wrong with that."

"Well, I _am_ a coordinator," said May, with a tone that indicated Rex did not know who he was speaking to, "and I've been pretty successful with that. They call me the Princess of Hoenn."

"Impressive," said Rex, nodding. "So then you have fans?"

"I have a few," said May. "Ash is probably my biggest fan," she added bashfully.

"You're aware that there's no Pokemon contest circuit in Unova, right?"

"I know," said May. "I knew before I agreed to come here." She paused for a second, rolling her eyes. "Ash didn't know before he invited me to join him here, though."

"Oh, so he asked you to travel with him?"

"Mhmm."

"And you accepted his offer, despite the circumstances?"

"It was worth it to me. I felt like going on a carefree journey with him was the best thing I could do for myself."

"Is being a coordinator stressful?'

"You have _no _idea," May melodramatically groaned.

Rex chuckled.

"I might," he said. "I lived in Sinnoh for a while. I've seen contests on TV there."

"You lived in Sinnoh?"

"For a few years. That's how I met my Torterra, and my Camerupt," he said, pointing with his thumb back toward the camp, where the aforementioned Pokemon slept. "They were only Turtwig and Numel back then, though."

"You don't seem like the kind of person who would watch a contest," said May, sounding unconvinced.

"Meh, it was cultural osmosis."

"What," May said blankly.

"If you spend long enough somewhere, you pick up on some of the culture whether you intend to or not. It just happens. So yes, I've seen contests. They seemed… _cutthroat_."

"Yeah, they can be," said May, knowing all too well. "Most coordinators are supportive and help each other, but some of them do anything they can to sabotage their opponents."

"All for what? Prizes? Fame?"

"That's not all there is to it," said May. "You know how some trainers talk about bonding with their Pokemon in battle?"

"Sure," said Rex, nodding.

"Performing with your Pokemon can create the same kind of bond. I've always done contests for the experience. I love the experience of performing, and I love sharing that experience with my Pokemon. I love sharing it with other people, too."

May punctuated her statement by reaching into her pack on her hip and digging around for something.

"Like this," she said, holding up an unidentifiable object for Rex.

"What is that thing?" he asked, squinting at it but utterly unable to tell what it was in the darkness.

"It's a contest ribbon," said May. "It's half of one, actually."

"Half?"

"It's my half of the ribbon," said May. "Ash and I won it together, a long time ago. We battled to a tie in the final round, and when the battle was over, his Sceptile split the ribbon in half so that we would both be able to keep it. I've kept it with me ever since. It's like a little symbol of all the experiences I shared with him. I'm pretty sure he still has his half of the ribbon, too. He had it with him when I visited him in Sinnoh."

"Adorable," said Rex, shaking his head.

May couldn't see, but she was sure that Rex was rolling his eyes. She giggled, and then a silence fell between the two. She took the spare moment to carefully put her half of the ribbon away. Not content to let the conversation die so soon, May pressed onward.

"It's the things like that ribbon that make it all worth it to me," she said. "When I left home, I didn't want to be a trainer, and I didn't even know what a coordinator was. I just wanted to travel. I wanted to go out into the world and experience life. Being a coordinator has helped me do that, and I think that being here in Unova is going to help me do that, too, even if it isn't in quite the same way."

"What do you mean by that?"

May tilted her head to one side, and then the other, looking upward in thought.

"I dunno," she said, "but when I left home on my first journey, I didn't know where I was going, who I was going with, or why I was going there, but I still had all kinds of experiences that changed my life and gave me some direction. I think the same thing can happen here. I'm already a couple steps ahead, actually! I'm here with Ash, and I know where we're headed."

"So does that mean you don't know _why?_" said Rex.

"Actually, I do know why," said May. "There are a _lot _of reasons for me to be here. I guess that makes three out of three, doesn't it?"

"It certainly does."


	8. Simplex

Chapter Eight - Simplex

"Are you sure the gym is this way?"

Ash looked doubtfully at Rex. This location just didn't seem right.

"I'm very sure," said Rex.

"But..."

Ash's voice trailed off, looking around. His eyes and his nose were simultaneously tugged in dozens of directions.

Behind him, May was quite certain she had found herself in heaven. The place certainly smelled enough like it. The traveling party was walking through a wide, bustling street near the heart of Striaton City. The roads were paved in cobblestone, evoking images of market squares from centuries past. People walked about freely. Nearly every building in sight was occupied by a restaurant, bakery, or produce store. Decadent aromas of food and baked goods hung in the air everywhere around them.

"This is _wonderful_," said May. Her voice was absolutely dripping with ecstasy. She seemed to almost glide her way forward, guided by her nose. When Ash looked back at her, she seemed to him like she was possessed.

"Are you okay, May?" Ash asked her.

"I have never been more okay," May emphatically replied. "I am the most okay I have ever been. I am in the fabled homeland of the cake. I am going to eat _all _of the cake."

Everyone present gave her a bizarre look.

"We're going to my gym battle, though!" said Ash. "I don't want to stop at any of these places right now. Can't it wait until after the battle?"

"Correction," said May. "First you're going to win your gym battle, and then I'm going to eat all of the cake."

Ash wiped his brow in relief. He had been waiting anxiously for this since their arrival in the city the previous night. He didn't want any more delays.

"Sounds good to me," he said.

"Yeah, we can get cake to celebrate when Ash wins!" said Bianca.

"All of it," May reiterated.

Rex held up a finger, as if to make an important point.

"I, for one, am also in favor of all of the cake," he said, nodding in approval.

Bianca giggled, but Ash was left scratching his head.

"So is this a _cake-type _gym or something?" Ash asked.

"No, it isn't," said Rex.

"So what type is it, anyway?" said Ash.

"It's actually not devoted to one specific type of Pokemon," said Rex.

Ash gave Rex a curious look. He hadn't heard of a gym like that since his time in the Orange Islands.

"So then what's the deal?" he asked. "Is it still a normal battle? What do I have to do?"

Rex shook his head.

"Not telling," said Rex.

"You have the badge from here, don't you?" said Ash. "You've gotta know!"

"I do have the badge from this gym, but I don't think it's my place to spoil the surprise for you," Rex said. "I think it's important that you figure that out for yourself."

Ash grumbled to himself. He was getting impatient. He lost count of how many blocks they had walked.

Suddenly, he came to the realization that he had lost track of May and Bianca, too. He turned around to look for them, just in time to see Bianca's big green hat disappear through a doorway. He groaned in frustration.

"Hold up, Rex," he called, pointing at the building Bianca had entered. "It looks like May and Bianca went inside this bakery."

Rex walked back to Ash, and he saw the building Ash was indicating. He raised an eyebrow.

Ash, on the other hand, had run up to the front window of the bakery to gawk. On the other side of the glass, a giant cake stood towering before him. It was a monster, with a dozen layers. It was easily eight feet tall, a beautiful, delicious monster. What Ash found most intriguing, though, were the decorations at the very top of the confection. There were figures of people up there, of a sharply dressed man and woman, hand in hand.

"Wilson's Wedding Catering," Rex said quietly, reading the sign on the front of the shop.

The realization hit Ash as to what he was seeing. It was a wedding cake – an extraordinarily lavish one. It was an amazing sight to behold, but he wondered why May and Bianca had gone inside. They could see the cake perfectly through the window, and there was no way they could afford something like this. Ash figured it must have been part of May's pursuit of _all _the cake.

When May and Bianca emerged from the shop a few minutes later, both completely empty-handed, Ash's curiosity remained unsatisfied. He asked them why they had gone inside, but the only answer he received was a vague explanation about it being a "girl thing" and a knowing giggle exchanged between the two.

* * *

><p>The group reached the far side of the market square. They stood before a building which at first glance appeared to be unexceptional and in no way different than any of the others all around them.<p>

"This is the place," said Rex. He held out his hand in the direction of the building, as if displaying it to everyone.

"But it doesn't look like a gym at all," Ash said, looking awkwardly at the ornate wooden door and the rustic signpost.

"See that symbol above the door frame?" Rex asked him.

"Yeah," Ash replied, certain that Rex was talking about the weird plaque depicting something that looked like the fusion of a Pokeball and a bolt of lightning. "What is it?"

"That's the official seal of the Unova League," said Rex. "Whenever you see that symbol, you've found a gym."

"So this is really it?" said Ash. "Weird place for a gym, but alright, I guess."

"It looks just like all the other shops around here," said Bianca. "It's got the same front and everything!"

"Yeah, it's the same style of architecture as all the other places," May commented. "I wonder what makes this one special enough to be the gym?"

"I was thinking the same thing," Ash said, still not ready to walk up the front steps. "But, hey! If this is it, we might as well go on in! Are you ready, Pikachu?"

Atop Ash's shoulder, Pikachu cheered. He was very ready.

"Great!" Ash said to his partner, pumping his fist. "I'm going to need you today, for sure! We've gotta be at our best for this! Now let's go!"

At that, Ash charged up the short set of wooden stairs and hastily turned the knob on the door, quite literally throwing the door open. What awaited him across the threshold, however, left him speechless.

He found himself being stared at in astonishment by perhaps a dozen people, all of them well-dressed and sitting in groups at various tables, each in the midst of a meal laid out before them. Steam was rising from cups of tea and coffee, and a rich aroma of bread hung in the air even more strongly than in the alley outside. Embarrassingly, everyone present was looking at him, even the waitstaff.

Quite unsure of what to do in such a fancy place, Ash simply froze on the spot. May and Bianca were right behind him, but even so, all they could do was look around. They all seemed so out of place.

"My my, what have we here?" one of the waiters said. His comment was clearly intended for Ash, but the tone of his statement was as if he was making an announcement to the entire restaurant. Ash felt hot under the collar at the thought that perhaps he was being mocked.

"It seems perhaps we have new guests," another waiter announced in reply. A third one quite hurriedly made his way up to them, cordially bowing briefly before speaking.

"Welcome! And how many are in your party today?" he asked Ash.

Ash felt like squirming on the spot. The waiter standing before him was much too close for comfort, evidently so excitable that he felt it necessary to lean in toward Ash almost to the point of leering over him. The wild tufts of crimson hair on his head and his nigh-maniacal countenance didn't help the situation.

"Um, four?" May said nervously, unsure about what was happening.

"Wonderful," another waiter said coolly, advancing upon the party and then stepping aside, ushering them forward with a curt bow. His shoulder-length blue hair was parted in such a manner that it fully covered half of his face. Ash wasn't sure if the guy was smirking or merely giving service with a smile. Either way, it was still very strange.

"Right this way," beckoned a third waiter. His demeanor seemed more level than the previous two, but his green hair was sticking up badly in the middle, and the emotion of his face seemed to exude hints of a saccharine personality. He motioned toward a lavishly decorated table set for four, with fine wares and the flickering light of an ornate candelabra.

"Wait a minute..." Bianca said ponderously, putting her finger up to her mouth as she thought.

"This place definitely seems more like a cafe than a gym," May quietly said to Ash, betraying some uncertainty. Ash's expression echoed hers.

"Yeah, I've got no idea what's going on," he whispered back.

"Please! Make yourselves comfortable!" the green-haired waiter told them.

"Yes, indeed," concurred the blue-haired waiter.

"Yeah, come on!" said the red-haired one. He took a much more direct approach than the other two, coming up behind Ash and grabbing ahold of his shoulders, steering him to his seat.

"_Pika!_" Pikachu exclaimed indignantly as he fled from his normal resting spot, perturbed by the intruder.

"Whoa!" Ash exclaimed as he flailed underneath the strange redhead's grip.

"I guess we should sit down?" Bianca asked aloud for confirmation.

"I think so," May told her, not at all sure what to do. In all of the hundreds of restaurants she had visited in her travels, never had she seen a staff so eager to seat their customers.

In the wake of the commandeered Ash, the remaining members of the group filed in and took their seats around the table. The dining setup should have been rather comfortable, but instead it was stiff and unsettling. The few moments of silence that followed the seating were enough to set everyone on edge.

"So!" the red-haired one proclaimed as he brandished a pad of paper and a pen, causing all four at the table to flinch. "What shall we be having today?"

"Might I recommend the honeymint tea?" the green-haired one suggested. "It's the newest addition to our menu, and an exceptional offering, replete with the warmth of spice but tastefully restrained by a cool hint of sweetness. Truly, guaranteed to bring a mellow contentment to all."

"Um..." Ash mumbled, utterly lost on that description.

"_Yes,_" May sighed, a gleam clearly visible in her eyes. "I would love to try it."

"Me too!" added Bianca, waving to make sure her request was noticed.

"Superb," said the blue-haired one, calmly nodding. "We can certainly leave you all with our menu for now if you need additional time."

"Of course!" chimed in the green-haired one. "We have an exquisite selection, so please, have all the time you require."

At that, the trio bowed in unison and turned to walk away, but Ash was having none of it.

"I didn't come here to eat! I came here to have a battle with the Striaton City gym leader!" he announced as he stood firmly on the spot, the quickness of his ascent causing the silverware on the table to clink. Just as had happened when he burst through the door a minute ago, all heads in the room turned to him again, the trio of waiters included.

"If you wanted a battle, why didn't you say so sooner?" the red one asked him, confidently crossing his arms over his chest.

"Because this place is a cafe!" Ash fired back at him. "I came in here expecting a gym and instead you tried to seat me and my friends the second we came in the door!"

"It seems we have had a misunderstanding," said the blue one.

"Yes, we have" remarked the green one. "Chili, really, you shouldn't have rushed to seat them so quickly. We didn't even get a chance to ask them if they were here for dining or for battling."

"Hey!" Chili shot back. "Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, people come here for the cafe, not the gym! Can you really blame me for making that assumption?"

"From a logical standpoint, no," said the blue one. "But the correct procedure would likely be to never make any assumption at all. In doing so, we may have lost future customers by way of the trouble we have caused these four and the scene we have presented in front of those presently seated."

"Oh, come on, Cress!" Chili pleaded, sounding astonished that nobody was on his side.

"Relax," said the green one, reassuring Chili. "And don't worry," he said to Ash. "If it's a gym battle you're looking for, you've definitely come to right place. I suppose a proper introduction is in order. Don't you agree, brothers?"

"Of course," nodded Cress.

"Yeah, you're right," grumbled Chili.

"Follow me," the green one said to the group.

He led the group to a door in the rear of the dining room, one that looked as though it belonged to a storage closet or something similar. Such a presumption proved to be wholly wrong, however. Ash felt his jaw drop as he passed under the door frame and into the bright light of the other side.

They were all gathered together on a balcony, overlooking what was quite obviously a battlefield. The dirt and rock field below was marked with chalk lines, trainer's boxes and boundary lines clearly visible. A staircase on the far edge of the balcony led to the field beneath their feet.

"Hey," Bianca said, thinking again. "I think I get it! From the outside, the cafe didn't look big enough to be a gym, but that was because the battlefield is underground!"

"Whoa, yeah!" Ash said, realizing that her statement made a lot of sense.

"Yeah, that must be it!" said May, thoroughly impressed.

"And hey!" Ash said with a pump of his fist. "I bet that since the battlefield is underground, this is a ground-type gym! Or maybe rock, or steel!"

"Nope," said Rex, shaking his head. "You're way off."

"I am?"

"The location of the battlefield has nothing to do with the type of Pokemon used in battle here, as I learned when I battled here a while ago."

"Ah, so you already have the Trio Badge?" the green one asked Rex.

"Hm?" Rex mumbled, surprised to be addressed directly. "Oh, yes, I do."

"Actually, come to think of it, I believe I remember our battle against you," the green one said.

"Whoa, hold on!" said Ash, putting a hand out in a motion for everyone to stop. He then looked directly at the tri-colored trio. "Does that mean that the three of you are the gym leaders here?"

"It sure does!" the red one replied. "The name is Chili, and I'm a user of fire-type Pokemon!"

"And I am Cress, a user of water-types," the blue one said, his statement accompanied by a courteous bow.

"And I'm Cilan," the green one told them. "I use grass-type Pokemon. Together, the three of us are the leaders of the Striaton City Gym."

Ash looked at the three of them, confused. How could they all be gym leaders, and why were they using three different types?

"I'm Ash, from Pallet Town in Kanto," he told the trio. "But _three_ gym leaders? I've been to a gym with two leaders before, but never three."

"Yes, indeed, all three of us are gym leaders here," Cress told him.

"So, three leaders, and three different types?" Ash asked rhetorically. "What's the deal?"

"Since this is the first gym that most new trainers in Unova challenge, we put our challengers to a special test!" said Chili.

"Here in Unova, the Pokemon League sanctions two types of battles that are uncommon anywhere else," Cilan explained. "Those two types are triple battles and rotation battles."

"I've never heard of either of those," Ash told them.

"No worries," said Chili. "It's like Cilan said, you don't usually find these types of battles in other regions. And you said you were from Kanto, right?"

"Yes, that's right," Ash replied.

"Then, if you wouldn't mind, allow me to explain," said Cress. "In triple battles and rotation battles, both sides use three Pokemon each. The difference between the two is all about positioning. In a triple battle, all six Pokemon involved battle together at the same time, but in a rotation battle, it's a one-on-one match with each Pokemon being allowed to tag out and switch with one of its teammates. The triple battle is simpler to understand, but harder for a trainer to orchestrate, since the trainer must command all three Pokemon at the same time. Conversely, the rotation battle is more complex in concept but much less chaotic and easier for the trainer to control."

"Here, at the Striaton Gym," said Cilan, "we give our challengers a choice of which of the two battle styles they would prefer. The challenger chooses either a triple battle or a rotation battle, and then faces the three of us in the chosen battle style. The challenge we offer is designed to test the fundamentals of Pokemon training and battling, such as focus, command, and strategy."

"What a unique gym," May remarked. "Of all the ones I've visited with Ash, I've never seen anything like this."

"This isn't normal for a gym?" Bianca asked her. "I wouldn't know. I've never been to one before."

"No, this is really unusual," May told her. "Normally it's just a battle against one gym leader, and with rules that have already been set. They don't usually let the challenger choose the battle style."

"So I have to choose, huh?" Ash asked the trio.

"Yes," Cress replied with a nod. "Once you have made your decision, we will proceed down to the battlefield and begin our match."

"Hmm..." Ash pondered. "What do you think we should choose, Pikachu?"

Pikachu didn't seem to know, and replied with a shrug.

"Yeah, I don't know either, buddy," said Ash. "But Rex, what about you? What did you choose when you challenged this gym?"

"I chose the rotation battle," said Rex.

"Well then, my mind's made up!" Ash told the trio.

"Which battle style do you choose, then?" Cilan asked him.

"The triple battle!" Ash confidently replied.

"Huh?" Rex mumbled, not following Ash's thought process.

"I figured that since you and me couldn't be more different, I would be better off with the option you didn't choose," Ash told him with a sly grin.

Rex rolled his eyes. Ash pumped his fist.

"This is it," he said. "My first gym battle in Unova!"

He and May locked eyes for a moment. Ash felt a surge of nostalgia.

"I'll be cheering you on from up here," May told him. "Good luck!"

"Thanks," said Ash. He smiled at May, then turned toward the stairs.

Ash and the trio of gym leaders descended the staircase, down to the battlefield beneath the balcony. The trio split off from him and proceeded to the opposite side of the field.

"Alright, Ash," Chili announced, "if you're ready to get started, it's time for us to send out our Pokemon!"

"I'm ready whenever you are," Ash told him.

"Wonderful," said Cilan. "In that case, it's time, Pansage!"

"Let's fire it up, Pansear!" called Chili.

"Ready for battle, Panpour!" commanded Cress.

Together, the three of them tossed their Pokeballs onto the battlefield. What emerged from inside them was enough to give Ash pause for a moment. The three creatures all looked very much alike, but were clearly of the three different types Cilan, Chili, and Cress had stated they used.

"Oh my gosh, they're all so cute!" Bianca squealed from the balcony above.

"They are!" May said in agreement. "They look like they'd be a lot of fun to play with, too!"

"You're certainly not the only one to think that," said Rex. "These three Pokemon are very commonly owned by trainers in Unova. You can find someone with one of them almost anywhere you go."

"Are they strong?" asked May.

"That depends on the trainer," said Rex.

"These guys are gym leaders, so they must be strong, right?" said Bianca. "So I bet their Pokemon are strong, too!"

May folded her arms. She couldn't help but feel nostalgic, too.

"They're going to have to be incredible to beat Ash," she said. "I've seen him win some amazing battles."

On the battlefield below, the proceedings were set to begin.

"It's time for you to choose your Pokemon, Ash!" Cilan instructed. "Which three will you choose?"

Ash realized that he didn't have much choice. He only had three Pokemon with him.

"Pikachu, you're up!" Ash told his partner, sending Pikachu scurrying down his arm and hopping onto the battlefield. "Now, for the other two... Oshawott! Pidove! I choose both of you!"

Flanking Pikachu, Oshawott and Pidove materialized on the battlefield side-by-side with their much more experienced teammate.

"Okay everyone, listen up!" Ash told his team. "This is a triple battle. That means that the three of you are all battling together at the same time against the gym leaders' Pokemon. You're facing a Pansage, Pansear, and Panpour - a grass, fire, and water type."

Oshawott looked around with what appeared to be a sense of wonder, perhaps as if he had never been inside a room so large and cavernous before. Pidove, on the other hand, blinked several times with a tilted head and a blank expression.

Ash thought for a moment, considering how he could match his team up against the opposition.

"Oshawott, I want you to cover Pansear!" he said

"Osha!" Oshawott cheered, thumping on his scalchop in approval. Following Ash's instruction, he lined up opposite Pansear, in the center of the battlefield.

"Pidove, I want you on Pansage!"

"Pi-dove!" was the cheery response he received, but his assurance in Pidove ended there. Pidove, oddly, decided to walk over to Pansage rather than fly, leaving Ash to watch awkwardly as its head bobbed back and forth with each step. At the very least, Pidove ended up in the correct spot, to the right of Oshawott.

"And that means you're facing Panpour, Pikachu," Ash said to his longtime companion. Pikachu, much more seriously than either of the other two, nodded in understanding and then rushed over to his given location, ready for combat.

"Excellent," Cilan said. "As the challenger, the first move is yours, Ash!"

"Awesome!" Ash said feverishly, adjusting the positioning of his hat. "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt on Panpour! Oshawott, Water Gun on Pansear! Pidove, fly up high and get ready to strike!"

"Pansage, Bullet Seed! Follow Pidove's path through the air!"

"Pansear, push back the Water Gun with your Flamethrower!"

"Panpour, Double Team!"

As expected, the result of six Pokemon in action at once was indeed commotion. Panpour, at Cress' command, suddenly seemed to be everywhere at once, and Pikachu's bolt merely hit the dirt and dissipated. Oshawott's attack resulted in a stalemate with Pansear, neither side able to push the other's attack all the way back. The prolonged collision of fire and water filled the room with a thick haze of steam, which steadily drifted toward the ceiling.

Pansage, on the other hand, did not attack. It was not out of disobedience or misunderstanding, but rather out of disbelief as to what its opponent was doing. Pidove was not flying. It was not taking to the air in any sense of the phrase. Rather, it was hopping up and down, as if in some ignorant first attempt to fly.

"Pidove, what are you doing?" Ash inquired with a great deal of concern. "I _know _that you can fly. I've watched you do it!"

"Pika..." Pikachu uttered in exasperation, scratching his head.

Upon hearing Ash's voice, Pidove stopped hopping and instead tilted its head in blank confusion. It was as if it had entirely forgotten the premise of it being on the battlefield.

"What's going on?" Ash wondered aloud. He had little time to wonder, though.

"While Pikachu isn't watching, Panpour! Use Scratch!"

Ash and Pikachu snapped their heads around in unison to see Cress commanding Panpour into action. It was too late to react. Panpour got a clean swipe at Pikachu's back, sending its opponent toppling over with a squeal.

"Pikachu, watch out!" Ash cautioned, noticing Panpour's timely retreat. It was clear that Cress had no intention of having Panpour go toe-to-toe with Pikachu. That in mind, Ash decided that was exactly what he was going to force Cress and Panpour to do. However, there were other matters to handle at the moment.

"Oshawott! Water Gun, again! Quickly!"

Oshawott wound up for the strike and fired another jet of water at Pansear. This time, it made contact, Pansear not having nearly enough time to counterattack. The assault was not to go unanswered, though.

"Pansage, use Bullet Seed on Oshawott!"

While Oshawott was still preoccupied with firing the Water Gun, he found his attack suddenly cut off as he was sent reeling backward by a super-effective direct hit from Bullet Seed. With Pidove hopelessly lost, there was no point in Pansage maintaining its guard.

"Oshawott!" Ash exclaimed. "Try to get up! Pidove, do _something_! Use Gust! Pikachu, Volt Tackle on Panpour!"

Pidove did use Gust, but it was while firmly planted on the ground, and was an exercise in futility. Rather than sending a blast of piercing air at Pansage, the attack kicked up dust all around. Pidove effectively used Sand Attack on itself.

On the opposite end of the battlefield, Panpour found itself facing down serious trouble. Pikachu was glowing like the sun, sparking like a faulty generator, and on a collision course.

"Double Team!" Cress commanded.

Ash knew better than to be fooled. The speed Pikachu attained by using this maneuver was plenty sufficient to overcome a Double Team. Panpour once again dispersed into a circle of multiple copies of itself, but he knew just what to do.

"Pikachu! Make a turn and run all the way around that circle of images! Hit all of them! Flush the real Panpour out of there!"

One by one, in rapid succession, the self-images Panpour had created were destroyed on contact with Pikachu's volatile form, until there was a grand collision and the room lit up white.

When the light faded, Panpour was halfway across the room, out cold. Just as Ash had hoped, the water-type was caught in its tracks, and Pikachu's attack was much too powerful for it to handle. Cress and his partner were eliminated.

"Oh my," Cress sighed, holding out his Pokeball and retrieving Panpour. He looked at the ball with guilt. "I am quite sorry, my friend. The next time we battle, I will make sure not to get you trapped like that. My apologies."

"That's one of us down, but you've still got two more to go!" Chili announced. "Think you can handle it?"

"Absolutely!" Ash fired back, confidently clenching his fist.

"Then think again!" Chili retorted. "Pansear, use Fire Punch on Pidove!"

"Wha- oh no, Pidove!" Ash stammered. Pidove was still completely lost, dazed from having temporarily blinded itself with the dust cloud. There was no way it could defend. "Oshawott, intercept Pansear with Razor Shell!"

"Not so fast!" Cilan said matter-of-factly. "Pansage, another Bullet Seed for Oshawott, if you would please!"

Oshawott had not enjoyed receiving the first Bullet Seed, and this one was going to be worse due to being at closer range. Ash knew he had to react quickly, even if it meant making a risky move.

"Pikachu, block the Bullet Seed with Quick Attack!"

Pikachu didn't like it, but he understood what Ash was trying to do and knew better than to question his judgment in situations like this. Regardless, it was unpleasant. Zipping across the field as a white streak, Pikachu got directly in the path of Pansage's attack and took it head-on. It stung like twenty lashes, but the maneuver accomplished the goal.

Free to rush in without any obstruction, Oshawott brandished his scalchop. The shell glowed a bright blue as he held it up to strike, and with a swift motion he cut Pansear off in its tracks and sent the fire-type skidding in the dirt. Pidove watched blankly, blinking a few times.

Up on the balcony, speculation ran amok.

"What do you think is wrong with Pidove?" Bianca asked.

"I wish I knew," said May. "I've never seen any of Ash's Pokemon act like this before."

"Do you think Pidove hurt itself and can't fly?" said Bianca.

"I don't think so," said May. "Nurse Joy checked all of Ash's Pokemon this morning before we left the center. Pidove should be okay."

"So then why won't it fly?" said Bianca.

All May could do was shrug. She looked toward Rex, hoping he might have an explanation. His arms were crossed over his chest, and he watched the battle with narrowed eyes.

"I'm not sure what's going on, but I have a hunch," said Rex.

"What is it?" Bianca asked him.

"We've all seen Pidove fly, but have we ever seen it fly _indoors _before?" said Rex.

"I... don't think so?" May said, completely unsure of what Rex was implying. "Why would that matter?"

"It might seem weird, but think about it - many flying-type Pokemon can live out their lives without ever having to go inside _anything_. Pidove is a Pokemon that roosts in trees and on top of buildings. It pecks around in fields and parks. It's not like it innately understands what it's like to be inside a structure. Plus, despite their generally good nature, Pidove are well-known for having difficulty understanding complex commands. Compound all that, and I think what we have here is a case of Pidove not understanding that it can still fly even though it's inside this building."

May and Bianca looked at him as if in disbelief.

"You mean Pidove might _actually _not understand that it can fly in here?" said May. "Is that even possible?"

"It's more likely than you might think," Rex told her. "I've heard stories of people being able to catch some of the more dim-witted Pidove out there by simply putting some food in a cardboard box. The Pidove would land inside the box, eat what was in there, and then have no idea how to get out."

"Oh, great," May groaned, rubbing her forehead. "So now Ash is trying to win a gym battle with a Pokemon like that..."

On the battlefield, there were two Pokemon down and struggling, and three standing. Oshawott, Pansage, and Pidove were all on their feet, but Pansear and Pikachu were in the dirt. Pikachu appeared better off than his red contemporary, however.

"Pansear! Can you stand?" Chili called out.

Pansear continued to have difficulty, rising to one knee, but no further for the moment. Oshawott, on the other hand, appeared quite proud of what it had done, reattaching the scalchop and giving it a boisterous thump.

"Pansear doesn't have to be up on its feet to give Pansage a hand, if you know what I'm saying," Cilan suggested to his brother. Chili seemed lost for a moment, but then the solution seemed obvious.

"Of course!" Chili said with a firm pump of his fist. "Pansear, use Sunny Day!"

Though it couldn't stand, that didn't prevent Pansear from forming a ball of light in its hands and tossing it into the air. Upon reaching the ceiling, the entirety of the cavernous room was bathed in warm glow.

Oshawott, as a water-type, wasn't fond at all of the sudden increase in heat, but he was soon to have a much more serious problem at hand.

"Pansage, Solar Beam!" Cilan graciously commanded, spinning around and extending his arm, concluding with a resonating snap of the fingers.

The process of charging the Solar Beam was expedited by the presence of the light from Sunny Day, and Oshawott knew right then that he was completely screwed. Pikachu had long since risen and come back over to their side of the field, no longer providing a meat-shield from the attack. Firing a Water Gun back would be futile. Such a pitiful counterattack would be obliterated by the Solar Beam in these conditions, already weak to it and weakened further by the presence of the light.

Oshawott simply shielded his eyes and hoped to wake up later.

Ash gritted his teeth as he watched the impact, which sent Oshawott careening across the room and slamming into the far wall, ultimately landing on the floor face-first with a dull thump. He didn't even bother to check if Oshawott could continue. It was blatantly obvious that he could not.

"Sorry about that, Oshawott," Ash consoled as he retrieved his fallen team member. "If I had known they had that combo up their sleeve, I would never have let you end up in that position. You just take it easy for now and I'll get you to the Pokemon Center just as soon as this is over."

Noticing there was a momentary lull in the action while he tended to Oshawott, Ash saw an opening. Looking to get right back in the fight, he wasted no time.

"Pikachu, take out Pansear with Quick Attack!"

A few brief moments later, and the white flash of Pikachu's swift movements sent Pansear reeling and down for the count. Already greatly weakened, there was no chance of it withstanding another hit. It was Chili who then found himself retrieving his defeated teammate.

"Good effort, my friend," he said to Pansear. "It's all up to you now, Cilan," he said, stepping aside and joining Cress on the sidelines.

"No cause for concern!" Cilan said boldly. "Thanks to you and Pansear, Pansage and I are still ready to fully exhibit our prowess in battle! The warmth of the sunlight shall guide us to the golden fields of victory!"

Ash found himself looking at Cilan with a baffled expression due to the extravagance of his language, but said nothing. Pansage was still a very serious threat. As long as the sunlight endured, it could keep firing Solar Beams without any downtime charging them. It was a dangerous situation for Pikachu, having already taken a couple of hits.

"You're gonna have to stay on your toes, Pikachu," Ash cautioned. "Pansage can launch Solar Beam without having to charge it as long as the light from Sunny Day keeps up."

"Pi-ka," Pikachu said lowly with a nod of serious understanding.

"Pidove," Ash began, staring at his utterly hopeless Pokemon, unsure of what to say. "I don't know what to do with you, but if you can pull it together, we would really appreciate your help."

The outlook on Pidove was doubtful, though. Apparently now entirely unaware that there was a battle in progress, Pidove had taken to staring directly at the artificial sun Pansear had created.

"Alright, Pansage! Solar Beam!" Cilan proclaimed.

Pansage easily drew in the golden sunlight and formed it into a ball, ready to fire. Pikachu stood at the ready, prepared to dodge.

"Quick Attack, Pikachu! Run around Pansage and try to knock it over!"

Pikachu once again streaked across the field in white light. The speed of the seasoned veteran was much too great for the younger Pansage to follow. The attack was on target, and Pansage went face-first into the dirt, losing control of the Solar Beam. The green orb of energy dispersed into thin air.

"Jump, Pikachu!" Ash commanded. "Get ready to hit it with Iron Tail when you land!"

"Quickly, Pansage!" called Cilan. "Turn over and fire Solar Beam up at Pikachu before it lands and hits you!"

For a few tenuous moments, the question remained as to what was faster. Was it going to be gravity pulling Pikachu and his metallic tail downward, or the blast of Pansage's Solar Beam? Even when the moment of truth arrived, the result was unclear. The blinding flash of the Solar Beam drowned out everything else, and it was not until the light faded that they could know.

Ultimately, it was the Solar Beam that was faster. Pansage was rising to its feet, relatively unscathed, but Pikachu had been blasted clear across the field and wasn't responding.

"Oh no," Ash said quietly. It was unbelievable that after such a valiant effort by Pikachu that the battle was going to end so disastrously, but it seemed doomed to be that way. Pikachu wasn't going to get up any time in the near future, and that meant it was down to one-on-one, if it could even be called that.

Ash turned his head back to the scene of the battle, expecting to see Pidove being mauled by Pansage, but that wasn't what he found at all. Instead, Pidove seemed to be spreading its wings, still looking intently at the artificial sun up above.

"Pidove?" Ash called nervously, unsure of what was taking place. Pidove was beginning to move its wings. Not flying, but getting there.

"Could it be?" May said in a near-whisper.

"Ha!" said Rex. "I get it!"

"Get what?" Bianca asked him.

"Watch," he instructed, pointing at the field.

Slowly, gracefully, Pidove lifted into the air. Flying in a wide, spiraling loop around the field, it was headed steadily upward, toward the sunlight.

"Pidove thinks it's outside again because of that artificial sun Pansear made with Sunny Day," Rex explained. "Now that it can see the sun, it understands where 'up' is, so it can fly again."

Bianca could only watch in astonishment. May, on the other hand, felt a huge smile forming on her lips. This was classic Ash.

"Pidove?" Ash called tentatively. "Can you hear me? Can you battle?"

"Pi-dove!" Pidove cooed back at him. It was as though Pidove had never had any trouble at all. There were no signs of distress to be seen.

"How..." Cress mused from the sidelines. Chili remained silent, fearing that he understood the truth. It was a tough thought to savor, but he suspected it was his own attack that had caused this turnabout.

"Pansage, Solar Beam!" Cilan called. "Before Pidove can strike!"

"Pidove, Gust!" Ash commanded.

Pansage was swept right off its feet and went tumbling over several times. There was no time to get up.

"Now, Air Cutter!"

The crescent scythes of air shot out from beneath Pidove's wings, striking Pansage in rapid succession.

"Pansage, Synthesis!"

"Pidove, Quick Attack!"

There wasn't enough time for Pansage to recover. Pidove jetted forward, striking it directly, sending Pansage toppling to the ground.

As Pidove landed gracefully a few moments later, utterly unaware that it had caused so much turmoil, Cilan found himself reluctantly recalling his defeated partner.

"It's tough to believe," Cilan said, "but despite all odds, you were able to turn it around just in time, Ash. Congratulations!"

"Yes, indeed," Cress added with a nod.

"Yeah, great job!" Chili concluded, showing him an appreciative thumbs up. It was an unsavory ending, but it couldn't be helped. Another day, another defeat. Such was the life of a gym leader.

Perched on Ash's arm, Pidove preened its feathers contentedly. Ash wasn't even sure what to say.

"Pidove, I don't have any idea what just happened, but I'm glad it did," he said, entirely aware of how dumb he sounded.

He felt even more stupid as he saw May dashing down the stairs to join him on the battlefield. She had witnessed the whole ugly ordeal.

Holding up a Pokeball and clicking the button, he retrieved Pidove. "Thanks for coming through in the end," he said.

Squatting down, he got on eye level with Pikachu, who had gotten up and hobbled back over to the trainer's box.

"You okay, buddy?" he asked.

Pikachu nodded, and held up one finger in the closest gesture to a thumbs-up that he could muster. More than anything, he was glad to see his efforts hadn't gone to waste.

"Ash!" May exclaimed as she finally reached the trainer's box, prompting him to stand up once again.

"Um, hey," he said stupidly, at his usual loss for words. He was feeling rather embarrassed all of the sudden.

"That was awesome!" said May, pulling in close and throwing her arms around him.

Ash froze. He hadn't been expecting a hug at all. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, the hug didn't last long. The moment was interrupted by the trio of gym leaders, bearing with them something Ash wanted very much.

"Congratulations once again, Ash," Cilan told him, extending an open hand. In that open hand rested a golden object, adorned with red, green, and blue gems. "In commemoration of your victory here today at the Striaton City Gym, it is our honor to present you with the Trio Badge."

* * *

><p>"I shouldn't have eaten all the cake..." May groaned. She sat in the chair next to Ash at their table in one of the many bakeries they had passed along the way to the gym. She slouched in her seat, hands held against her stomach.<p>

"It was so good, though," said Bianca, with her hands similarly over her stomach and sounding similarly distressed. "So worth it."

"A good way to celebrate, don't you think?" Ash said to nobody in particular. He let out a deep breath of contentment and leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head. "That was a great battle."

"Yeah, it was!" said May. She narrowed her eyes and nudged Ash slightly. "Just like you to turn it around right at the last second."

Rex had a half-eaten piece of cake on his plate before him. He sipped his coffee quietly, glaring at Ash over the top of his mug. Ash met his eyes momentarily.

"Aren't you going to finish your cake?" Ash asked.

Rex set his mug down on its saucer with a soft clink. He looked at Ash flatly. The table went silent.

"Your victory was dumb luck, and you know it," said Rex.

May and Bianca both looked stunned by the change in the conversation's tone, but Ash appeared blithely unaware of it.

"Aw, come on!" said Ash. "A win is a win! It doesn't matter if I was lucky or not!"

"Besides," said May, "you saw how Ash won even with Pidove completely lost almost the whole time. If it hadn't been confused like that, he would have won easily!"

"Yeah, that's right!" said Ash.

"But the truth remains that you won because of your opponent's actions, and not your own."

"That's how it goes sometimes," said Ash. "There are some battles you win because your opponent messes up."

"Certainly," said Rex, conceding the point, "but battles that end that way only show the full picture of a trainer's skill if they intentionally set up their opponent to fail. You didn't do that. You did just enough to get by, and then won by way of a ridiculous coincidence."

"Why does it matter?" said Ash. "I still won!"

May glared at Rex.

"Why are you attacking Ash like this?" she asked. "We're supposed to be celebrating his victory, not telling him how he could have done better!"

Rex pursed his lips and looked downward.

"I'm sorry," he said. "It's just been bothering me that Ash has apparently had so much experience and success in leagues and other tournaments, yet he only won today, as I see it, because of luck. That's not what I was expecting, certainly not from someone who I was told won the Orange League and conquered the Battle Frontier."

Ash narrowed his eyes at Rex.

"Are you saying you don't think I'm a good trainer?"

"No, but what I am saying is that I was expecting to see a higher level of battle skill from you today."

"If you want to see a better battle, I can show you," Ash said.

Rex raised an eyebrow at him.

"Are you challenging me?" he asked Ash.

"Yes, I am."

The group was silent. Ash and Rex eyed each other levelly. For a few moments, nobody spoke.

"I will accept your challenge, under one condition," said Rex.

"What is it?" said Ash.

"You need to use a stronger team than the one you used in your gym battle today. I know that if you've battled in leagues before, you must have more Pokemon in storage somewhere. If you call whoever you need to call to make that happen, then I will accept."

Ash felt a corner of his mouth move upwards into a grin.

"I can do that," said Ash. He extended a hand to Rex.

"We'll battle tomorrow at noon in the abandoned lot on the east side of the city," said Rex. "Three on three. Deal?"

"Deal."

The two shook hands, and the matter was settled.


	9. Confluence

**Author's Note:** As you may have noticed, this is an extra-large chapter. In the original version of the story, the events of this chapter were spread out over three normal-size chapters, but I decided it made more sense to condense it all into one chapter for this version.

Due to the amount of content I've put out in the past two weeks, I'm going to be taking a break from posting next week. This story has no formal update schedule, but in the near future I believe it will shift to something closer to an every-other-week model. We are nearing the point of the story where all of the content from the original version will have been posted, and I'll be producing all of the content (instead of some of it) from scratch.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the ride.

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Nine - Confluence<span>

"...huh? -ow…"

May mumbled incoherently, squinting before shielding her eyes with a spare hand. Quickly, she surrendered to the light and flopped down forcefully, shoving her face into her pillow. She had no idea what time it was and no idea what Ash had said.

"The battle!" said Ash. He frowned at May, who seemed to be trying to bury herself in her bed. Their room in the Pokemon Center was starkly bright white, flooded with fluorescent light, in harsh contrast to the exterior darkness visible through the window.

"...wh… baddle…" May said lifelessly, her voice muffled and distorted by the smothering mass of sheets she was pulling over her head.

"My battle with Rex!" Ash said. "It's today!"

"...mmuh… time is it…"

"It's, uh," Ash started, looking around in stupor briefly before resorting to pulling out his Pokedex. "It's 4:55."

"...in the morning?"

"Yeah."

May tightened the cocoon of sheets around her.

"...this dream sucks…" she whined.

"This isn't a dream," said Ash, trying his best to sound gentle. "I need your help."

Ash saw May massaging her forehead beneath the sheets. Then, May pulled the sheets down and uncovered her face. Her eyes remained closed.

"Can't it wait until the morning?" she said.

"It _is _the morning!" said Ash. "It can't wait. The battle is at noon. I don't have much time!"

"You've got, like… ten hours," May said dismissively, before once again pulling the sheets over her head.

Ash paused for a moment and began counting on his fingers, trying to work out May's math. Something wasn't adding up correctly.

"I've got seven hours!" said Ash, holding up seven fingers as if he was showing his work.

"Can you guys please quiet it down?"

Ash looked up at the top bunk and saw Bianca weakly squinting down at him. She was red-eyed and completely disheveled.

"Sorry," Ash said to her in a hushed voice. "I didn't mean to wake you up."

Bianca flopped back down on her mattress. After just a second of laying still, she covered her eyes. Frustrated, she rolled over again and looked down at Ash, peeking out from behind the shade of her hand.

"Why are the lights on?" she groaned.

"Um," Ash began, but then he noticed Bianca looking around.

"And where's Rex?" she asked.

The bunks on the opposite side of the room were both empty. The lower one, which Rex had occupied, was completely deserted. The bed had been made, and there was no sign of his belongings anywhere in the room.

"That's kind of why I'm up," said Ash. He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and held it up. "He left a few minutes ago, and he left us a note."

"Huh?" said Bianca. "What does it say?"

"It says that he needs to do some stuff before our battle today, so he got up early to take care of it, and he'll see us later. He left the address of the place where we're battling, and said we should meet him there."

Bianca gave Ash an odd look.

"What do you think he's doing?" she asked.

"Beats me," said Ash, "but seeing him get up so early reminded me that I really need to do some planning for our battle, so that's why I'm up."

"...so then why did you wake _us_ up?" May grumbled from under her sheets.

Ash looked at May's form, hidden beneath layers upon layers of fabric. Again, he tried to sound gentle, understanding that waking her up hadn't gone well so far.

"I woke you up because I need your help, May," he said.

"My help?"

"Mhmm. I wanted your advice about which Pokemon I should use in my battle."

"You want my advice?" said May.

"Yeah, I do."

May peeked her head out from underneath the sheets. She looked rather confused, but to Ash's surprise, there was a smile on her face. Ash suddenly felt compelled to further explain himself.

"I'm going to call Professor Oak and have him send some of my Pokemon here, but I wanted to talk to you first so I can get a better idea about what I want to do."

"Okay," she said to him. The smile remained on her lips.

"Thanks!" said Ash, loudly enough that it caused May to retreat behind her sheets yet again.

Ash appeared exasperated for a moment, but then he noticed movement above him and looked upward. Bianca was giving him a knowing smile.

"What's up?" Ash said to her.

She winked at him.

* * *

><p>"Are you sure about this?" May asked.<p>

Ash looked up from the sheet of paper.

"I think so," he said. "This is the address."

"It's..." May began, trailing off as words failed her.

"Abandoned?" Bianca suggested, finishing her sentence.

"Yeah."

The three of them stood before an abandoned gate. The iron was rusted over, and the bricks framing it were beginning to crumble from disuse. The lot that was visible beyond the bars appeared horribly overgrown.

"Well, he _did _say it was abandoned," said Ash.

"But is he here?" said May.

"I'm not sure," Ash replied.

The gate before them was ajar. The field beyond the gate was empty, aside from massively overgrown weeds. Ash slipped through the open gate and waded into the sea of untamed growth. Cautiously, May and Bianca followed him.

"This place really is abandoned," said May, looking around in mild discomfort, the tips and blades tickling the higher reaches of her legs. Behind her, Bianca seemed to be having trouble with her long skirt sticking to the grass. She tugged at it as she walked.

"Yeah, it is," said Ash. "I hope the whole place isn't covered in this grass, though. It's going to be tough to battle."

Pikachu voiced his agreement. The grass was much taller than he was.

Ahead of them loomed a building that was in complete disrepair. There didn't look to be even a single window that remained intact. Sections of the walls were cracked, and some parts of the roof had collapsed. There appeared to be the remains of letters on the front facade of the building, but they had long since been lost to the elements.

"What do you think this place was?" said Bianca. "You know, before it was all destroyed and stuff."

"Dunno," said May, trying her best to avoid tearing her shorts on some thorns. "It looks like nobody's been here for a while, though."

"It looks like a factory or something," said Ash.

As the three of them drew closer to the shadow of the abandoned building, a voice called out to them. When they turned their heads to see the source of the voice, they saw Rex and Excadrill, approaching them from farther out in the field.

"There you are!" said Ash. "Finally!"

"We weren't sure you were here," said May. "Where were you?"

"I was out in the field with Excadrill, clearing a space for us to battle," he said. As he did, Excadrill bore his claws proudly. "Excadrill's X-Scissor was perfect for the job."

"Gotcha," said Ash, nodding.

"Thanks very much for your help, my friend," Rex said, recalling Excadrill to his Pokeball. "Follow me," he added, motioning to everyone to follow him. The group did so, and after a brief walk they emerged in a rectangular clearing. It smelled pleasantly of freshly cut grass.

On the far side of a clearing was a large piece of a broken concrete slab.

"I tried to leave a seating area for the spectators," said Rex, motioning toward it.

May frowned at the thing. It was ugly, but at least it was smooth.

"Thanks, I think," she said with a lopsided grimace.

Bianca followed May over to their makeshift concrete bench, and Ash stood opposite Rex in the clearing.

"So, are you ready for this or what?" Ash asked.

"I'm ready," said Rex, giving a slight nod. "Are you?"

"Definitely," said Ash, pumping his fist. "I'm _so _ready!"

"Shall we go over the rules once more?" said Rex.

"Three on three, right?"

"Yes, three on three. No time limit. Substitutions are allowed. Standard stuff. Does that sound right? Can we agree to that?"

"Absolutely," said Ash. He looked like he was about to burst at the seams from excitement. Atop his shoulder, Pikachu could feel him trembling.

"Well then, take your place," Rex said, pointing to the far side of the field, "and I'll take mine."

The two of them turned, and walked resolutely toward opposite sides of the clearing. When Ash arrived at his end, he instructed Pikachu to go join May on the concrete block. He wasn't going to be called upon in this battle.

"Hey Pikachu!" said May, as Pikachu bounded over and jumped up into her arms.

"Is Ash not going to use Pikachu?" Bianca asked her.

"Nope!" said May, shaking her head. "Not this time."

"But why not?" said Bianca. "Pikachu's really really strong, isn't he?"

Pikachu rubbed his head bashfully. It was true, but that wasn't the point.

"Yeah, Pikachu _is _very strong," said May, "but Rex has a lot of ground type Pokemon on his team, and they're immune to Pikachu's electric attacks. Ash and I talked about it, and we decided that it would be best if he used other Pokemon in this battle."

"Which Pokemon will he use?" said Bianca, looking at May excitedly. "You guys didn't tell me! What did he get the professor guy to send him?"

May looked at Bianca slyly.

"You'll see!" she said.

On the battlefield, both Ash and Rex held a pokeball in their grip.

"Shall we begin?" said Rex. His countenance bore a fierce and distant expression.

"Yeah!" said Ash, but then after a moment, a thought occurred to him. "But, who's going first?"

"I'll make it simple," said Rex, prominently holding out the Pokeball in his hand. "I've got a Pokemon in this ball. Regardless of whatever Pokemon you send out, this one will be my first in the battle. You have my word that I won't change my selection, no matter what you do. You may have the first move."

"Well, in that case..." said Ash, winding up for the throw and looking Rex directly in the eye, "I choose you, Muk!"

"_Muk?_" Bianca said curiously from the sidelines.

The ball opened, and the familiar glowing red blob of light appeared. Contrary to a normal release, the lump of light didn't really take on any other shape. It remained an amorphous lump as something purple emerged from it and landed on the grass with a sound somewhere between a flop and a squelch.

"Oh, _gross..._" Bianca complained upon seeing the Muk's proper form. May looked at her with a mix of curiosity and amusement.

"What? Never seen a Muk before? Or a Grimer?"

"No, I've never seen a Pokemon like that!" said Bianca, sounding rather squeamish.

Meanwhile, Rex was sizing up the opposition.

"Intriguing choice," he said. "I definitely wasn't expecting that."

"Ha, thanks!" Ash chortled back at him confidently. If he truly had caught Rex off guard, then there was no better wat to start the battle.

"Well then..." said Rex, pulling his arm back for the throw, holding onto the same ball from before. "You're up, Conkeldurr!"

Ash felt his confidence reaffirmed as he watched the towering Conkeldurr appear on the field. If Rex had been trying to use his selection as a mind trick, it had backfired on him. Muk was at a very obvious type advantage.

"The first move is yours," said Rex.

"Muk, use Mud Bomb!"

"Conkeldurr, Stone Edge!"

To Ash's surprise, Conkeldurr's method of using Stone Edge was unlike anything he had seen before. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say it was to his horror. Conkeldurr effortlessly picked up its two concrete pillars, which subsequently began to glow. The intent wasn't to shoot a bunch of stone pieces like it normally would have been. Conkeldurr was going to _literally_ strike with its concrete pillars.

Meanwhile, as a rather underwhelming response, Muk belched up a ball of mud, which went flying across the field at the charging Conkeldurr.

"Block the ball with one of your pillars!" Rex called.

Conkeldurr held one pillar firmly in front of its body. The Mud Shot struck it and splashed off like it was nothing. Conkeldurr then let go of the soiled pillar and left it behind, content to attempt to strike with only one.

They were at way too close a range for Muk to attempt to block it with another attack. Ash realized he was going to have to opt for defense instead.

"Acid Armor!"

As Conkeldurr finally closed in and swung the pillar at Muk as if it was a baseball bat, several sets of eyes from all around the battlefield opened wide in surprise as they saw Muk squash downward toward the ground and disperse, almost as if it had disappeared into thin air. Confused, Conkeldurr set the pillar down and searched for its adversary.

"It must be slithering around on the ground, Conkeldurr! Use Hammer Arm!"

Pulling up one of its gigantic fists, Conkeldurr gathered strength and then sent it plunging toward the ground.

"Pop back up and absorb the blow, Muk!"

As if Muk was re-materializing into existence, it seemed to shoot up from the ground and reappear at Conkeldurr's feet. Before there was time for anyone to react, Conkeldurr's heavy fist came thundering down on Muk's head.

Conkeldurr looked very confused. The impact had felt like hitting a bean bag. As if Muk was made of jelly, the purple goo shook and deformed, but then the fluctuations slowed and stopped. Conkeldurr had his fist clearly jammed down on Muk's head, deforming the mass, but Muk was looking up at him completely unfazed.

"Well now..." Rex said, unsure what to think. He did the only thing the could think to do when he wasn't sure how to evaluate his opponent - keep distance.

"Back away from it, Conkeldurr! Stay at range!"

Not wasting any time, Conkeldurr picked up the pillar he had used for Stone Edge and retreated to where he had dropped off his other pillar when he blocked Mud Shot. Repositioning himself, he again stood like a sentry over his two pillars, ready to react.

"Well done, Muk!" Ash cheered. "Looks like we've got them surprised."

Just as pleased as his trainer, Muk reconstituted himself and again returned to his normal shape. He leered creepily at Conkeldurr, but got no reaction.

On the sideline, Bianca was holding onto her stomach with some uncertainty.

"If Muk wasn't so silly, I... I think I would be sick..." she said with some difficulty.

May giggled at her.

"Muk's got a weird body, but it's got some useful defenses, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, but it's still gross..."

Rex pondered the situation. Ash seemed to have the perfect foil for Conkeldurr, but switching Pokemon didn't seem like it would be effective either. Excadrill felt like the obvious choice, but he had just had Excadrill chop down the grass for the field. Furthermore, what good would Excadrill's attacks be against a Pokemon that could absorb a blow as powerful as Conkeldurr's Hammer Arm? It probably wouldn't matter if Drill Run tore right through it. Muk would just reform itself again, he figured.

It would be best to try to use Conkeldurr's techniques to test the best way to attack Muk's defenses. He didn't much like the idea of essentially using Conkeldurr as a sacrifice or a scout, but that seemed to be his best option at the moment.

"Conkeldurr, Bulk Up!"

"Don't let it strengthen itself, Muk! Use Gunk Shot while Conkeldurr is wide open!"

Stymied, all Rex felt compelled to do was to sigh and clasp his hand over his face.

Conkeldurr's eyes widened and then shut tight. While he expanded and flexed his muscles, Muk barfed up another ball of delight. This one was much bigger and considerably more menacing, a veritable bomb of black tar. At the very least, he had raised his defenses, but there was no time to block this one.

An echoing splat knocked Conkeldurr backward and sent him toppling over, his head taking the full force of Muk's Gunk Shot.

"Ew..." Bianca whined, squirming uncomfortably.

May could only giggle. This was Ash's quirky, boyish charm at its best. _Of course _he would have an absurd Pokemon that played with mud and sludge. _Of course _the kid in him loved that.

Struggling to orient himself, Conkeldurr rose to one knee and tried to wipe the sticky, wretched black substance off of his face.

"Try to keep your guard up Conkeldurr! Listen for it if you have to! They're going to strike while you're down!"

"Muk, use Poison Jab!"

Squirming the short distance across the field to where Conkeldurr knelt effectively disabled, Muk drew back a fist of sludge and drove it right into his opponent's chin. Floored, Conkeldurr toppled over again.

Rex gritted his teeth.

"Great shot, Muk!" Ash cheered.

"Conkeldurr, can you stand?" Rex asked, sounding like he was on the verge of pleading.

Again, Conkeldurr rose to one knee. This time, however, he opened his eyes. They were a menacing shade of black and red. The sheer ferocity of his opponent's countenance caused Muk to retreat a few inches.

"Whoa, what's up with Conkeldurr?" Bianca asked May.

"I don't know," said May, "but it looks _really_ angry."

"Look out, Muk!" Ash called. "Something's going on."

"Ah, interesting!" Rex said with mirth, suddenly quite a bit more confident than he had been seconds prior. "It seems your Muk's poison attacks have triggered Conkeldurr's Guts ability."

The word "guts" in this context caused Ash to flash back to his battle against Paul at Lake Acuity. He had seen firsthand that day the power that Guts packed. Pikachu's Static had inflicted Paul's Ursaring with paralysis, but what should have been a crippling effect instead sent Ursaring into a veritable berserker rage.

Reaffirming his memory of how powerful Guts was, Conkeldurr stood fully upright as if nothing had happened.

"Watch out, Muk! You poisoned Conkeldurr, but that actually made it much more powerful!"

"Muk?" the blob called back, confused. Never before had poisoning an opponent made it more powerful. Not in Muk's experience, at least.

"Trust me, I've seen this before," Ash reassured Muk. "I don't know how much power Conkeldurr gained, but it might be really dangerous!"

"Conkeldurr, Hammer Arm!" Rex commanded, not giving his opponent time to react. With considerable force, Conkeldur smashed his fist directly into Muk's head. This time, the effect was very different. Muk flattened out and groaned, not at all ready to spring back up. The wad of purple sludge was pushed down into a dent in the ground, a small hole formed by the force of the impact. On the sidelines, Bianca shrieked.

"Is that much force r-really allowed?" she stuttered, horrified.

Her question was not answered. May sat silently, astonished.

"Muk, pull yourself together!" Ash called out. "Conkeldurr may be powerful but right now it's hurt and it's really slow! Strike with Gunk Shot at close range while you still can!"

Muk pushed his slimy hands against the ground outside the edges of the shallow hole, trying to pop back to normal size and configuration. Battered, he only got partially there. He was definitely damaged from that last attack. It was the best he could to to just get up and start preparing the shot.

"Stone Edge!" Rex commanded.

With a guttural growl, Conkeldurr hefted up one of its pillars. Again, the stone structure glowed with energy as he wound up for the strike.

When the two attacks were launched it was difficult to tell who fired first. The situation remained that way when the attacks struck their targets. It was unclear who made first contact, but Muk was flattened beneath Conkeldurr's concrete pillar, and Conkeldurr was knocked backward several feet, flat on his back, now even more thoroughly covered in sludge.

What was perfectly clear, however, was that Muk was finished. While Conkeldurr struggled briefly and then finally got up on one knee, leaning over with his hand on the ground for additional support and breathing heavily, Muk's only response was to partially squirm out from beneath the pillar. Its eyes were stunned and glazed over, motionless.

"Oh, no," said Bianca, suddenly feeling a great deal more empathy for Muk than she had a minute ago. "Muk lost."

"It was going so well," said May, lamenting the defeat. "I can't believe Conkeldurr became so strong. Muk was definitely going to win before Conkeldurr went crazy."

Ash's shoulders sank. He sighed as he held out Muk's Pokeball.

"You battled really well, Muk. You've earned a good rest. But now who do I send out..."

"At least Muk didn't, like, _explode_," said Bianca, imagining an awful scenario in which bits of purple sludge went everywhere after Muk took the attack. "I would have _freaked _if that thing got on me."

Bianca seemed to shudder at the thought, but May smirked at her playfully.

"Muk really likes hugs, you know," said May, causing Bianca to give her a horrified look. "You can probably get one if you come see Muk at the Pokemon Center after its recovered."

Ash removed another Pokeball from his belt.

"Swellow, I choose you!" Ash called, this time throwing his Pokeball high into the air. From the ball emerged the regal form of the familiar blue and red bird, soaring high.

"It's so pretty!" Bianca exclaimed, pleased to see a more attractive Pokemon this time.

"If you thought Muk was good, just wait till you see this one," May told her smugly. "Swellow is one mean competitor."

Before Ash could call out a command for Swellow, Rex held out a Pokeball and returned Conkeldurr, the battered giant and the concrete pillars all disappearing together.

"It's pretty clear that Conkeldurr's beaten," Rex said. "There's no hope in having him fight at a disadvantage again when he's already so heavily injured. I don't want my Pokemon to get hurt any worse than they have to, and I'm sure you understand and appreciate that. If you don't mind, I'm calling it a technical knockout."

"Sure," Ash said with a nod. It was a prudent choice. A single Aerial Ace from Swellow would have been sufficient to take Conkeldurr out of commission. "But which Pokemon do you choose now?"

Rex removed another Pokeball from his belt and smirked, clearly really enjoying this.

"You know, this is much better than you did in your gym battle yesterday," he said. "I'm very pleased so far."

Ash smirked confidently.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it," he said. "I just hope you'll still feel that way when you lose!"

Rex smirked back at him.

"Confident, aren't we?" he said. "You're up, Camerupt!"

Camerupt materialized onto the battlefield before them, and Ash was left feeling confused.

"Camerupt?" he said. "But Swellow is a flying type!"

There appeared to be equal confusion on the sidelines, but Rex seemed unconcerned.

"Eruption!" he ordered.

Ash felt a wave of intense heat on his face, and he immediately knew he was in trouble.

"Swellow, watch out!" he called. "You've got to dodge this!"

Before the words had even finished leaving Ash's mouth, the volcanoes on Camerupt's back erupted with violent force, spewing smoke and lava and brimstone high into the air. Flaming rocks seemed to fly in every direction up above, littering the sky with fiery debris.

Swellow's vision was greatly obscured. It struggled to weave through the onslaught of volcanic fallout. Slowly, the debris precipitated out of the air, and the task of dodging it all became easier.

"Keep it up, Swellow! The attack is almost over!" said Ash.

"Camerupt, Lava Plume!"

Swellow's task of dodging the whole mess suddenly became much more difficult. A semi-spherical sheet of lava erupted from Camerupt's back and expanded around it, once again blanketing the skies. This time, it was without the rocky debris, but the unexpected angle of attack caught Swellow off guard.

"Use Agility, Swellow!"

Desperately seeking to avoid being trapped, Swellow glowed faintly white and climbed upward rapidly. Its movements became more rapid, and as the last of the debris settled, it soared freely through the clear skies.

"Flamethrower!" called Rex.

The attack was called for good reason, but with Swellow's considerable speed increase, it was useless. Camerupt made a spirited effort to aim, but Swellow dodged the jet of flame nearly effortlessly.

Ash took the spare time to think. Getting in close seemed like a terrible idea, but attacking from a distance wasn't Swellow's strong point.

"Flamethrower again!"

"Swellow, use Air Slash!"

Camerupt's Flamethrower was once again thoroughly off-target. Swellow responded by beating its wings and firing off a barrage of scythes made of air. To Ash's chagrin, at Swellow's present distance, the attack mostly dissipated in the air while en route to its target. The strikes on Camerupt were weak, at best.

Rex seemed to pause for a moment, thinking.

"Normally we don't get to do this because our opponents get in a good attack after the first one, but I suppose it will work," he said. "Camerupt, use Eruption again!"

"Again!" Bianca exclaimed on the sideline, again looking horrified. The previous one had sent she and May running for cover. Once again, May grabbed her by the shoulder and encouraged her to back away from the battlefield.

"Yes, again," said May, pulling Bianca toward the edge of the clearing. "Eruption is stronger with the less damage the user takes in battle. Since Ash and Swellow couldn't land a good hit on Camerupt after the first one, Rex is using the move again."

The two of them got down on the ground at the edge of the clearing, hoping they were out of the way again.

"So, if Swellow can't do any damage to Camerupt, will Rex keep using this attack?" Bianca said, looking fearfully at the violent sky.

"He might," said May. "It seems like the best strategy he has."

The sky above the battlefield was once again filled with fire and blazing brimstone, and Swellow darted about frantically to avoid all of it, both as it was ejected into the air and on its descent back the ground. The situation was maddening. To Ash, it seemed clear who had the advantage in this matchup, and unlike his initial assessment, it wasn't him.

Swellow seemed to struggle more and more as each boulder passed. Ash clenched his jaw. It seemed like there was only one reasonable thing to do.

"Swellow, return!" he called, aiming his Pokeball into the air. The laser beam contacted Swellow and dematerialized it, retracting it to the ball.

Bianca was relieved, but May became more tense.

"I hope he knows what he's doing," she said, causing Bianca to look at her with confusion.

"That was probably for the best," said Rex, admiring Ash's decision. "Camerupt could have done that several more times, and I don't think Swellow could have dodged all of those."

Ash raised an eyebrow.

"_Several_ more times?" he said. "I don't buy it."

"It doesn't matter if you do or you don't," said Rex. "What matters is which Pokemon you're going to send out now."

Ash removed a third ball from his belt. He grimaced. This wasn't a good situation. They had been in worse spots before, though.

"Go, Sceptile!"

Ash watched as Rex's face shifted from surprise to being legitimately impressed.

"Well now!" said Rex, gazing at the new competitor. Confidence was strong with this one.

"'tile," Sceptile grunted, spitting the chewed husk of a seed off to the side, finishing the gesture by placing his omnipresent twig firmly in the corner of his mouth.

"Nifty accessory you've got there," said Rex.

Sceptile merely glared.

"Trust me, I saved the best for last," Ash said, his voice laden with seriousness. "You haven't seen anything yet!"

"I believe it," said Rex. "Let's just see what you can do."

"Not only does Sceptile have speed, he's got strength. He's got the moves to prove it, too!"

"Show me."

"Gladly! Sceptile, Leaf Blade!"

Brazenly charging directly at Camerupt, the leaves on Sceptile's arms transformed into glowing green blades, poised to slash. Camerupt lowered its head, ready to brace for impact.

"Use Curse!" commanded Rex.

Camerupt seemed to glow both red and purple simultaneously, and as it did, there appeared to be two different auras around it. Sceptile struck firmly on Camerupt's flank with Leaf Blade, but the strike didn't do nearly as much damage as Ash had anticipated.

Sceptile wisely darted away from Camerupt after striking, and Ash was left wondering what Camerupt had done.

"What is that move?" he said.

Rex grinned. If Ash was truly ignorant of what was going on, and wasn't just feigning it, this was perfect.

"Again, Camerupt!" Rex ordered.

Camerupt certainly looked like it was doing _something_, but it definitely wasn't going anywhere. Ash decided to try using the opening.

"Sceptile, used Leaf Storm!"

Rex appeared concerned, much to Ash's pleasure. The seeds on Sceptile's back began to glow a bright white, and then leaves began to emanate from them, pouring outward. The leaves shot at Camerupt violently, blasting it directly in the head. Camerupt lowered its head and grunted as it took the attack.

Ash wasn't quite certain, but Camerupt looked to him like it had taken substantial damage.

"Camerupt, Overheat!"

Ash felt like his suspicions were confirmed. He knew from firsthand experience that a trainer didn't simply call that move unless the intended to immediately end a battle. As he saw the intense blast forming in Camerupt's mouth, he knew exactly what to do.

"Sceptile, use Agility!" said Ash.

Sceptile complied, and began to glow faintly white, but didn't seem to know where to go.

"Trying to dodge, huh?" said Rex. "That's a shame. Camerupt, fire!"

Camerupt shot a white-hot jet of flame forth from its mouth. Sceptile easily rolled to the side and escaped the blast. Immediately, Camerupt began following Sceptile's movements with the attack.

"Sceptile, jump onto Camerupt's back! Get in between the humps!"

For a split second, Sceptile got down on all fours. Then, he made a mighty leap over Camerupt's head, past the source of the blistering stream of fire. He landed solidly between the volcanoes on Camerupt's back, as if he was riding his opponent, except backwards.

Surprise echoed around both the battlefield and sideline.

Ash wasted no time.

"Leaf Blade!" he ordered.

"What do you think you're doing?" Rex replied, in disbelief. "Camerupt, use Lava Plume!"

Before Camerupt could ready the attack, Sceptile pounded its blades against both of Camerupt's flanks. To Ash's surprise, Camerupt hardly seemed to care. As fire began welling up in Camerupt's volcanoes, Ash issued another command.

"Use Quick Attack to get out of there!"

Sceptile leaped from Camerupt's back and seemed to jet away, appearing blurred to the eyes. Camerupt fired Lava Plume as instructed, but the intended target was well out of range. The attack dissipated in the air long before it reached Sceptile. It was a much weaker Lava Plume than the one that had been fired at Swellow earlier.

Now, Sceptile darted around the edges of the battlefield effortlessly, with speed vastly greater than his opponent's.

"Bullet Seed!"

"Curse, again!"

Yet again, Camerupt appeared to be enveloped in a strange set of auras, but nothing visible seemed to happen. To Ash's surprise, however, when Sceptile's Bullet Seed struck Camerupt, it seemed to have basically no effect. It caused Camerupt nothing more than mild discomfort.

Ash gritted his teeth.

"It's like Camerupt's defenses keep going up!" he said to Sceptile. "We've got to find a better way to break through. Try Solar Beam!"

Pausing to gather energy, Sceptile prepared to take aim.

Rex and Camerupt took aim, too.

"Camerupt, use Yawn!"

Camerupt's mouth opened wide, and it let out a giant yawn. A white cloud escaped from its mouth, and it floated lazily over to the temporarily stationary Sceptile, popping like a bubble when it reached its target.

Immediately, Sceptile's eyelids began to droop.

"Oh no, Sceptile!" Ash called. "You've got to fire that Solar Beam before you fall asleep!"

Straining mightily to maintain focus, Scpetile aimed his hands in Camerupt's general direction and shot the brilliant white beam, but much like Camerupt's attempts at using Flamethrower against Swellow, it was wildly off target. Before Sceptile could collapse from sleepiness, Ash recalled Sceptile to his Pokeball.

"Return, Sceptile!" he said, the laser beam dissolving Sceptile into thin air. Wasting no time, he switched to another ball. "Go, Swellow!"

Swellow took to the skies once again, not at all pleased to see Camerupt still standing.

"This isn't going to be easy, Swellow, but I really need you to come through!" said Ash. "Use Brave Bird on Camerupt!"

Rex raised an eyebrow. It seemed like a poor choice of strategy, to say the least.

"Take aim, Camerupt, and use Flamethrower," he said.

Swellow gathered tremendous speed as it dived toward the ground, then abruptly changed directions and rocketed straight forward at Camerupt. Camerupt, meanwhile, gathered flame in its mouth, ready to unleash it.

When Swellow drew near, Camerupt released the attack. Swellow drove directly into the stream of flames and plowed through to the source, firmly striking Camerupt. Once again, as had been the case with Sceptile's Leaf Blade, Camerupt didn't seem to care.

Swellow, on the other hand, recoiled heavily from the attack, and appeared thoroughly singed all over. The damage was heavy.

"What is he doing?" Bianca exclaimed to May, gripping onto her hand desperately. "Why would he make Swellow fly right into the fire like that?"

Appearing worried, May shook her head.

"I don't know," she said. "I really hope he's got a plan."

Swellow was circling above at a low altitude, unable to fly any higher. Its movements were labored.

"Camerupt, Curse!" Rex called again.

Ash eyed Camerupt closely. This move had to be the cause of its suddenly impenetrable defenses. He noticed, however, that Camerupt had been almost totally motionless since using it. That was exactly what he needed.

"Swellow, use Endeavor!"

Once more, confusion echoed all around. Camerupt remained still, although enveloped in the familiar aura, but Swellow dive-bombed its target.

There was the sound of a solid impact, a sudden cloud of dust, and then, an amazing sight. As Swellow struggled to regain altitude, Camerupt seemed to be struggling to stand.

"Yes!" Ash cheered. "It worked!"

Rex couldn't help but smirk.

"Very impressive," he said. "I was not expecting that. How will you finish it?"

"Aerial Ace!" Ash called.

In the blink of an eye, Swellow went from slowly circling above the field to fiercely appearing behind Camerupt. Along the way, the blindingly fast finishing blow had been dealt. Swellow landed on the ground, and Camerupt toppled over, defeated.

Bianca was stunned.

"What... happened?" she said.

May was brimming with excitement.

"Ash had Swellow intentionally deal damage to itself so that it could do a ton of damage to Camerupt with Endeavor!" she said. "Endeavor hits the opponent so hard that both Pokemon end up equally damaged, so Ash made sure Swellow was already really weakened so that the attack would leave Camerupt that way, too. Then, it was easy to finish off Camerupt because Swellow is so much faster. It was an awesome strategy!"

Bianca tried her best to follow, but the most she could really do was nod and smile.

May, on the other hand, noticed that she could feel herself blushing as she raved.

"That was a great effort, Camerupt," said Rex. "Return."

"So, you've only got one Pokemon left!" said Ash. "Are you ready to finish this?"

Rex gave Ash a serious look.

"That was quite a clever move," he said to him. "I'm impressed by your ability to think on your feet. In that regard, you're a much sharper battler than me. However-"

Rex punctuated his statement by reaching to his belt for what would be his third and final Pokemon.

"However what?" Ash asked as Swellow landed softly beside him.

"You can't always win with quick wit alone. Go, Ferrothorn!"

Ferrothorn looked just as unpleasant as usual, Ash thought. Ferrothorn was perhaps the least pleasant of all of Rex's Pokemon, which was quite an accomplishment. Ash had seen many Cacnea that probably would have been more fun to pet.

Swellow eyed the new competitor doubtfully. The crazy thing looked like it was essentially stationary. There was no way it could battle in the air.

Ash wondered what Rex had planned. It seemed obvious that there was no way that Ferrothorn could compete against Swellow and Sceptile in direct combat. It seemed even more obvious that it was basically a sitting target. There had to be a catch.

"Shall we continue?" Rex asked.

"Absolutely," Ash replied. "Swellow, you're not going to have to worry about this one going anywhere. It can hardly move at all. Let's finish this! Show 'em a Brave Bird!"

"Use Ingrain, Ferrothorn," Rex instructed.

As if to intentionally reaffirm Ash's hunch that Ferrothorn was essentially immobile, the thorn pod literally took root. Roots burst forth from its underside, thrusting downward into the ground. Some of them erupted back out the surface again and formed a small network of tangled vines beneath and around Ferrothorn, suspending it a few feet above the ground. Despite its marginal upward movement, it still wasn't going anywhere.

Ready and willing to give its opponent the hit of its life, Swellow plunged down from the sky, the pressure of the displaced air causing a rush of wind and rustling the surrounding grass.

"Iron Defense!" Rex called.

"Is this _it_?" Bianca asked breathlessly.

"This one's going to hurt, but I'm not sure _who _it's going to hurt," said May.

The impact was painful, to Pokemon, trainers, and spectators alike. The mixed smack and thump of the collision echoed around the field a few times before ultimately dissipating. Ferrothorn remained where it had been prior to taking the hit, but Swellow was on the ground a yard or two in front of it in a crumpled heap, clearly defeated.

Ash staggered forward and stared agape in disbelief.

"Wh-what happened?" he inquired, stunned.

"Several things," Rex explained. "First, Swellow used a move which causes recoil damage, and it had already sustained damage in battle earlier. Secondly, Ferrothorn's greatest asset is its defensive prowess, so the attack didn't have much of an effect on it. Third, the iron barbs that cover its body are for more than show, you know. Those things hurt if you hit them."

Ash wallowed in his lack of foresight, astonished that he had called such a reckless and suicidal move without realizing what he had done, right after an excellent move against Camerupt. To make matters even worse, he saw Ferrothorn's tangle of roots glow a distinct green. Ingrain was healing it.

"I'm sorry, Swellow," Ash said as he retrieved his battered Pokemon with its Pokeball. "As soon as this is over we'll get Nurse Joy to take a look at you. You'll be alright. I didn't mean to get you hurt like that."

He made a brief exchange of Pokeballs from his belt.

"It's up to you, Sceptile!" said Ash as he tossed out the ball for his final Pokemon. "It's one on one now."

"So it is," said Rex, not sounding the least bit concerned. Ash couldn't blame him one bit for sounding confident. He knew that Ferrothorn was part grass-type and part steel-type. Both types were resistant to grass-type attacks, and Ferrothorn's defenses were superb. Sceptile's attacks would do one-quarter the damage they normally would, or less.

"If we're going to win this battle, you're going to have to hit harder than you ever have before, Sceptile! Ferrothorn may be stuck in the ground, but it's got the strength to take almost anything we throw at it!"

Sceptile seemed unconcerned, tightening its grip on the twig in the corner of its mouth. The two remaining Pokemon glared at each other. For both of them, it was a natural reaction.

"Iron Defense!" Rex called.

"Before that thing gets as hard as a diamond, Sceptile! Leaf Blade!"

Ash's thought was rather quaint. It was good in theory, but terrible in practice. Sceptile's uncontested, direct strike left nothing more than a shallow scratch.

The scratch disappeared as the roots surged with green energy once again.

"Well, at least you didn't get pricked by the barbs," Ash said as he scratched at his neck uncomfortably. Sceptile looked back at Ash with minor annoyance.

"Use Power Whip!" called Rex.

"Power wha... -_run_!" stammered Ash.

The spike-covered seed pods adorning Ferrothorn's head extended a considerable length, the vines stretching forcefully outward as they would when a Pokemon used Vine Whip. The difference, though, was that for Ferrothorn this action was more like swinging a spike-covered mace than it was lashing something with a whip.

Sceptile did not hesitate. Shortly after it jumped and backpedaled away, one of Ferrothorn's feelers went plunging into the ground where Sceptile had previously stood, tearing apart the earth around it. All three of the feelers dodged and weaved about, sending Sceptile on the run.

"Use Bullet Seed on it, Sceptile!" called Ash through the commotion. "Try to get it to stop!"

While dashing and jumping about, weaving through Ferrothorn's swath of vines, Sceptile directed its jet of energy pellets directly at the iron husk. The attack bounced off in utmost futility.

"What can we do, Sceptile?" Ash said quietly. Ferrothorn's defenses seemed too great to overcome with Sceptile's abilities. When he was planning out his team with May, he had known that facing Ferrothorn was a possibility, but he hadn't considered it to be a legitimate threat. Rex had never used Ferrothorn for anything before, until now.

"Pin Missile!" commanded Rex.

"Counter with Bullet Seed!"

This time, Ferrothorn's attack really didn't go anywhere, much to Ash's relief. Sceptile's Bullet Seed was more powerful and very easily held off the barrage of needles. The delay gave Ash precious time to think. It was clear that he needed an alternate strategy, but what could he do?

"Hey, Sceptile..." he began awkwardly after the pair of attacks stopped. "Do you know how to use Fire Blast? Or something like that?"

Sceptile gave Ash a deadpan look.

"Oh _come on _Ash..." May moaned from the sidelines, putting her head dejectedly in her hands.

"Please?" Ash said, pleading ridiculously.

Unsure of what would happen, Sceptile took in a deep breath and leaned back, preparing to unleash the fury. For a moment, Ash tingled with excitement, thinking that it was going to work.

It didn't.

Embarrassingly, Sceptile leaned forward to release the would-be flame, but all that came out was stale air.

"A nice try, but that's not going to work," said Rex, a knowing look on his face. "To the best of my knowledge, there aren't any grass-type Pokemon that can learn that move."

"I figured it might be worth a shot," Ash shrugged. "Sceptile has worked miracles before, so I never rule anything out."

"If that had worked, you _definitely _would deserve the victory for it," Rex told him. "I would _never_ let you get away with pulling a victory over me like that, but as I'm sure you're aware, as things are now, you're really not in a good position to win."

"I know," Ash told him with a nod. "But it's not nearly over. We're just going to have to find a different way to attack Ferrothorn!"

"Well, while you get that figured out, I think we'll keep attacking the same old way. Power Whip, Ferrothorn!"

"Keep your guard up, Sceptile! Use Agility and dodge!"

Again taking to ducking and weaving, Sceptile used his speed as an advantage. With a comfortable speed boost, this time it wasn't nearly as difficult to avoid Ferrothorn's strikes. The trouble with the situation, though, was that the consequence for failure was immediate defeat. A single hit from Ferrothorn's menacing feeler-maces would cause sufficient injury to end the battle on the spot.

"Just focus, Sceptile!" Ash encouraged. "Stay focused!"

The words he had said began to make the gears in Ash's head start to turn feverishly. There was an idea buried somewhere deep down in there. A very clever one, for that matter.

Fire was Ferrothorn's obvious weakness, but what else was there?

Fighting, Ash realized.

"I don't know if you've ever done it before," Ash cautioned Sceptile, "but give it a try! It's the only hope we've got! Use Focus Blast!"

Sceptile indeed had not done it before and wasn't entirely sure what to do, but the name of the attack seemed descriptive enough. Channel your focus into an attack? Why not, sure. Looking for a safe opening in the tangle of Ferrothorn's vines, Sceptile dropped into a ready stance and pulled his hands back by his side, cupping them together. Searching for a moment of calm, he quite simply pushed the energy out. Lo and behold, much to his surprise and everyone else, he held a shining blue ball of energy.

Ferrothorn was only able to give its opponent a bizarre look of astonishment before Sceptile slammed the ball of energy right into its face. There was a big bang, and Ferrothorn's attack ceased immediately, the vines once again retracting. Dust kicked up all around.

"There's no way!" Rex exclaimed. "Unbelievable!"

"Unbelievable is right!" May cheered, jumping to her feet. "That's amazing!"

"How did they do that?" Bianca exclaimed, looking to May for answers. All she found was elation.

"Careful Sceptile, I'm not sure Ferrothorn's down just yet!" Ash warned.

His hunch was correct. Ferrothorn looked battered, the shine of its iron shell greatly diminished, streaks of dark all over it as if it had been charred. The menacing Pokemon seemed more angry than ever, but clearly damaged. Its pride was damaged even further as Sceptile smirked.

"Hah! There's no way it can take another attack like that!" Ash cheered, pumping his fist and ready for the victory. "Give it another Focus Blast! All you've got! Let's end this battle!"

Rex shut his eyes and drew in a long breath. His face seemed strange as he exhaled, almost bittersweet.

Sceptile backed down into the charging stance again, ready to focus and form the attack. Ash could feel his heart pounding furiously, as could May feel hers. Both of them, however, felt their hearts seize and stop when Rex spoke again.

"You know, Ash," he began, eerily calm. "You made a fatal error in assuming that I intended to _win _this battle."

The hush that swept over the battlefield was deafening. Nobody understood.

"Ferrothorn, Explosion!"

* * *

><p>When the light faded, when the dust settled, when the heat dissipated, when the screams ceased, when the wind calmed, it was over. It was all over. The battle had ended.<p>

Not a single person or Pokemon present had remained on their feet. Pikachu sat up awkwardly, looking around as he rubbed his head. He had taken quite a tumble from the blast. Everyone else had been knocked over, too. May seemed to have been blown backwards all the way over the concrete slab, and she was now behind it on hands and knees, trying to make sense of which way which. Bianca was struggling to figure out where her hat had gone.

When Ash rose, he surveyed the damage. In the center of the battlefield lay the charred husk of Ferrothorn, utterly spent from the amount of energy it had to unleash to use such an attack. Much closer to his present location was Sceptile, sprawled out on the ground motionless and unresponsive. There hadn't been enough time to get away from the explosion.

"W-what happened?" Bianca asked, stuffing her hat back onto her head.

It was quiet enough now that Ash could hear her. He looked over towards her.

"It's a draw," he said solemnly.

"A tie?" said Bianca.

"Yes," Rex said, finally making it back up onto his feet. "Neither Ash nor I have any of our designated Pokemon left to battle. The result is a draw. Or a tie, if you prefer."

"But... why did you do that?" Bianca asked Rex.

"It was legitimately the best option I had," he said. "I was guaranteed a loss if Sceptile was able to fire off another Focus Blast. Using Explosion as a last resort was the only choice I could make that wouldn't result in a loss."

"Oh, come on!" May interjected from the sideline, rising to her feet. "Would letting Ash get in the final attack for the win really have been so bad?"

"Yes, it would have," said Rex. "Stopping him from winning like that was my _only _goal here today. It didn't matter to me whether or not I won the battle. I only did this to prove a point."

"To prove a point?" May said indignantly. "What point?"

"That a trainer should win their battles due to strength and strategy, and not due to luck. Regardless of whether I won or lost this battle, it didn't matter as long as I didn't lose due to Ash lucking out at the end. So, when it looked like that was about to happen, I ended the battle."

May frowned at Rex. She thought it was an underhanded way to end things, but the disagreement Ash and Rex had the previous night was the reason they were all here, after all.

All was calm for a short while. Ash knelt town by Sceptile's side and tended to his fallen battler briefly before recalling him to his Pokeball.

"So, um..." Rex began awkwardly as he returned Ferrothorn to its ball. He looked around. "Is, uh, everyone _okay_? I didn't injure anyone with that move, did I?"

"My back kinda hurts," May said, "but I'll be okay."

"My skirt is all dirty," said Bianca, pouting as she looked down, examining the fabric. "There's dirt and grass stains and who knows what."

"No worries," said May. "I can fix that. I've got some stain remover in my bag."

May rummaged around in her pack for a few moments, then pulled out a small bottle, handing it to Bianca.

"Thank you so much!" Bianca replied. Right away, she sat down on the concrete slab and began working to undo the discoloration.

While Rex tended to Ferrothorn and Bianca tended to her skirt, May and Pikachu walked over to Ash.

"That was really, _really_ impressive, you know," May said as she walked toward him, her hands folded demurely behind her back. "I haven't seen a battle like that in ages."

"Thanks," Ash said to her, trying his best to sound humble. "I gave it the best effort I could, really! I couldn't have done it without your help."

May gave Ash an incredulous look.

"Ash, you know that's not true," she said. "There's no need to be modest about it. I may have helped you a bit with your team, but you had to lead them in battle. You came up with that Endeavor strategy, not me!"

"But I still needed your help!" said Ash. "Using Swellow was your idea. I wouldn't have been able to pull off the Endeavor move without your help."

May folded her arms and faked a pout.

"Alright, _fine_," she said, heavily exaggerating her tone of voice. "I guess you really _did_ need my help. And you better still need my help when we get dessert tonight, because I still want cake! I just don't want all of it this time."

Ash raised an eyebrow at her.

"So... you want my help? With eating cake?"

"Yes."

"I think I can do that," Ash replied, laughing.

"Did I hear something about cake?" Rex inquired, walking up to the two of them. Bianca was not far behind.

"Cake?" Bianca excitedly called toward them.

"Yeah," said Ash. "May was saying she wants t-"

_"Dammit, I knew I heard something blow up! We've got company!"_

The heads of all those present turned sharply. The voice that had just spoken was not a familiar one, not at all. There was a visibly angered person running in their direction, and that person was dressed very strangely. Chain mail, black latex, and a white tabard featuring a coat of arms.

For the four trainers gathered on the field, the newcomer's associations were no mystery.

"It's them, from Accumula Town!" gasped May in realization.

"Team Plasma!" exclaimed Ash.

The strange man running across the field toward them faltered for a moment, unsure of what he had heard. When he got it figured out, he pulled a Pokeball to the ready. Boldly, he stopped only a few yards away from them and pointed at them accusingly.

"What are you all doing here?" he demanded of them. "And how do you know of Team Plasma?"

"What?" Ash said, caught off guard by the harsh tone of the assailant. "We were having a battle here, where it wouldn't bother anybody! What are _you _doing here?"

"That's _none _of your business!" the grunt snapped back at him.

"We saw your lunatic talking head Ghetsis give a little speech back in Accumula Town," Rex informed the grunt in a vile tone. "It was... _charming_."

"The impudence of it!" the Plasma grunt exclaimed. "You dare to insult one of the Seven Sages? The punishment you sh-"

"Like I care," Rex deadpanned, cutting him off. "Why don't you answer my friend's question? What are _you _doing here? And furthermore, what is your insane cult up to this time?"

"_Insane cult_!" the Plasma grunt raged back. "You foolish people! For that level of ignorance Team Plasma will liberate _all _of your Pokemon from all of you!"

"Liberate?" Bianca repeated aloud.

"I'm pretty sure he means _steal_," said Ash. Bianca's horrified expression confirmed that she understood.

"Call it whatever you want, but Team Plasma more than has the right to take Pokemon away from the blind and unjust like the lot of you!"

"Justify it however you like," shrugged Rex, "But how do you plan on doing that?"

"By force, you imbecile!" seethed the grunt. "Dispose of these blasphemers at once, Watchog!"

With that invocation, the Plasma grunt finally let loose on the trigger and threw his Pokeball into the fray, emerging from it a Pokemon with an unsettling, piercing glare.

"Wow, paranoid much?" May remarked. The deranged Pokemon looked like it had been up for several weeks without sleep and had entered a state of utter mania.

"Never seen that Pokemon before, but one thing's for sure!" Ash declared. "You're going to have to do a lot better than that! Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

As he had perhaps a thousand times before, Pikachu leaped from Ash's shoulder and discharged electricity directly into its opponent.

Watchog fell to the ground unconscious, charred all over.

"In case you can't count, it's four against one," Ash said to the grunt. "And that was only a taste of what our Pokemon can do!"

"Hmph," snorted the defeated grunt, returning Watchog to its ball. "In case you've never been part of a team before and don't know what that means, I'm not the only one here."

Indeed, he was not alone. He was far from it. He was defeated, but at least ten, perhaps a dozen or more people dressed similarly to him were coming into view from around the abandoned building. They were all headed directly to him, and they were all ready for battle.

"Aw man, that's a _lot,_" said Ash, sounding quite a bit more concerned.

"No joke," May said to him in a near-whisper.

"G-guys, w-what do we do?" Bianca stuttered.

"We prepare for battle," Rex said grimly. "Excadrill! Torterra! Gigalith! Go!"

Agreeing with Rex, May followed suit.

"_Yeah _we do!" she cheered, winding up for the throw. "Blaziken! Wartortle! Venusaur! Glaceon! Beautifly! Take the stage!"

Ash, on the other hand, hesitated for much the same reason Bianca did. Muk, Swellow, and Sceptile were temporarily out of commission, and Pidove and Oshawott weren't ready for a massive battle like this. He didn't have any more Pokemon to work with. It was just Pikachu.

"Well Pikachu, it's you and me for this one, buddy!" Ash declared, making a fist.

May turned to look toward Bianca, who was cowering behind them.

"We need you too!" said May. "Send out Tepig!"

Struggling to pull the ball out of her bag, Bianca timidly released Tepig for battle.

"A-alright, Tepig," stuttered Bianca. "We need your help."

Tepig looked up at her, clueless.

Although perhaps a dozen or more enemy Pokemon were being called out all around them, the front three members of the resistance were not backing down. Ash, May, and Rex stood shoulder to shoulder, with their Pokemon ready to strike.

Team Plasma was upon them.

"_Incoming_!" shouted Ash. "Pikachu! Intercept with Quick Attack!"

Although Ash and May weren't sure what to make of the competition due to their unfamiliarity with Unova's local Pokemon, Rex was less than impressed. There were several more Watchog, several accompanying Liepard, a couple of Scrafty and Krokorok, and a Garbodor. Team Plasma wasn't exactly working with the cream of the crop, it seemed.

Pikachu's Quick Attack had been used to trip up a charging Liepard, tangling its feet and sending it crashing to the ground. The purple patterned Pokemon proved more resilient than the pre-evolved Purrloin. It took hardly a second for the clever Liepard to be back on its feet again.

Defiantly, Pikachu stood before the oncoming horde.

"Iron Tail!" Ash commanded.

To his great surprise, Liepard struck before Pikachu could even get his tail ready. Liepard moved so quickly it seemed to disappear, finishing by kicking into Pikachu with both hind legs.

"Your little yellow snot like that Sucker Punch?" a grunt sneered at Ash.

Ash scowled at his mail-clad opponent.

"Give 'em a Thunderbolt, Pikachu!"

"Wartortle, Aqua Tail! Blaziken, Blaze Kick! Let's go!"

May, meanwhile, was facing down a Krokorok and a Watchog. The two seemed they would be perhaps equally as disappointing as the first Watchog. Venusaur was easily holding down multiple opponents with her vines, making them easy targets for Glaceon and Beautifly.

Rex, on the other hand, was outnumbered.

"Rock Blast, Gigalith!" he commanded. "Shoot down as many of them as you can! Torterra, Frenzy Plant! Try to root them or slow them so that Gigalith can get a clear shot! Excadrill, take out that Garbodor with Drill Run!"

Realizing there was a missing member in this resistance effort, Rex turned around to tell Bianca to get in the fight, but he found her with her knees to the ground, with Tepig clutched firmly in her arms.

"Bianca!" he shouted. "What are you doing?"

Barely looking out from under her hat, Rex could see the fear in her eyes. He briefly opened his mouth to speak again, but then decided against it. It wasn't worth it.

"Oh man Excadrill, _what are you doing?_"

Excadrill, as instructed, had certainly made contact with Drill Run. The problem was that he hadn't stopped making contact. Garbodor, as he had unpleasantly discovered, was disgustingly soft and squishy, and now he was stuck in the abomination's body like an oversized drill bit. Reminiscent of Muk from the earlier battle, Garbodor was now flailing around the battlefield vomiting up sludge and gas while making anguished noises, haphazardly spraying what appeared to be acid out of one of its arms.

"Focus on the Garbodor!" Rex commanded his other Pokemon. "Get Excadrill out of there, the sooner the better!"

Ash took notice of Rex's order, and appended it to his own.

"Pikachu! Finish up with Volt Tackle and then go use Thunderbolt on that thing that's got Excadrill stuck! Your electricity won't hurt Excadrill!"

Pikachu's familiar windup charge finished with a strong flash of light, the collision completely blowing Liepard away, out cold. From there, he unleashed a bolt of lightning on the hideous creature that had Excadrill embedded in its stomach.

Garbodor convulsed erratically from the electric shock, making a horrible noise and sending gunk and rot flying in random directions.

"Sick..." Ash groaned.

"Stop that disgusting thing, Glaceon! Use Ice Shard!"

Glaceon fired off icicles like bits of shrapnel. The result was just as satisfying as it was horrifying. Excadrill was able to finally free itself from Garbodor's sticky body, but only because Glaceon's attack tore through the wretched Pokemon like bullets through a tissue. Chunks of garbage and decay that once composed its body were scattered on the surrounding earth. The monstrosity had visible holes in it, yet it was still up and moving.

"Don't be alarmed!" Rex urged Ash and May, seeing the looks of shocked horror on their faces. "This Garbodor has an ability called Weak Armor. Really it's more of a trait of its body than anything else. When it takes hits, pieces of its armor, or bits of its body in this case, fall off. When that happens, it lowers Garbodor's defense but increases its speed."

"That's nice and all," May said squeamishly, "but is it, you know, _going to be alright_?"

"No," Rex said, "because no Garbodor is alright, ever. Not from the second of its creation is it ever alright. These Pokemon are literally spawned from garbage. They're sentient piles of trash, made of waste, refuse, and decay."

Like an infernal terror, Garbodor was moving more quickly than ever, now literally falling apart at the seams. Disgusting bits of rubbish and rot were falling out of it as it shambled around mindlessly.

"Stand your ground, Excadrill!" called Rex. "Prepare yourself! Use Swords Dance!"

"Swords Dance..." Ash wondered aloud, watching Excadrill start spinning on the spot. Garbodor was still moving steadily toward it, not slowed down at all. He was confused. He had seen Tracey have his old Scyther use Swords Dance many times, but it was almost always for the purpose of using the air cushion the maneuver created to deflect something or blow something away.

"Get ready," Rex said with heavy anticipation. Excadrill had ceased spinning and was now standing firm, claws bared fiercely.

"What is he doing?" May asked, hoping perhaps Ash knew the answer. He had no idea, of course. At the very least, the battle was turning in their favor. Blaziken and Wartortle had easily defeated their opponents and were now charging in to assist Gigalith and Torterra.

"Gigalith, Sandstorm!" Rex commanded, throwing his hand up into the air as if he was making a proclamation of paramount importance.

Ignoring the trio of Watchog that were trying in vain to gnaw on it, Gigalith shifted its attention toward Excadrill. The gems that covered its body began to glow a deep orange. With that glow came a rush of wind, and with that wind came the sand.

A driving wind of sand swept over the field, darkening vision and causing many to shield their eyes. In the midst of all this chaos, Excadrill was standing ominously still. Ash wasn't quite sure of it, but he thought that he had a fleeting sensation of actually _feeling _the energy Excadrill was exuding. Despite its squat stature, Excadrill's presence had become immense. He was soon to discover why.

"Drill Run!" Rex ordered.

With heretofore unseen speed, Excadrill snapped shut into its drilling stance and shot forward like a ballistic missile. The sight of it was nothing more than a gray and brown blur, suddenly accentuated with an explosion of unsavory colors, green, blue, and pink among them. Garbodor was obliterated as Excadrill plowed through it effortlessly. Never had Ash, May, or anyone present seen a Pokemon so completely defeated.

"What was_ that_?" Ash exclaimed, trying not to choke on the blowing sand.

"Sand Rush!" said Rex. "When Excadrill is exposed to a sandstorm, its speed increases dramatically."

"And with a move like Drill Run, that must mean a lot more power," said Ash, understanding what had happened.

The sandstorm subsided, Gigalith's gems ceasing to glow and returning to their normal crystalline state. A hush briefly fell over the battlefield. The display of strength Excadrill had just offered stopped all action.

"_That's it_!" yelled one of the Plasma grunts. "Garbodor was the best Pokemon we had! Forget battling, resort to Plan Sigma!"

"What's Plan Sigma?" Ash asked dully.

For the remaining moment that he could see, he saw several of the grunts reach for something. They all had ball-shaped objects, but they weren't Pokeballs at all.

They were smoke grenades.

Nearly a dozen small blasts went off in rapid succession. There was great confusion, shrieks and yells coming from all around.

After what felt like minutes, Ash emerged from the smoke cloud. His momentary relief was replaced with true panic. He could see clearly a hundred yards ahead that the Team Plasma grunts had Bianca in their grasp, taking her underground into the ruins of the building, Bianca kicking and flailing and screaming frantically all the while.

"Now we know what Plan Sigma was!" Ash exclaimed, looking around to see May and Rex emerging from the smoke cloud. "We have to hurry! They've got Bianca!"

The three of them and their Pokemon all dashed toward the building.

"What do they even gain from taking a hostage?" Rex asked rhetorically, his breathing heavy and labored as he struggled to keep up with the much fitter duo of Ash and May. "What are they going to do? Threaten to not hand them over unless we thrash them in battle again?"

"If we get in there they have _no _idea how bad they're going to get it!" May said threateningly. "And with the Pokemon we have backing us, I don't think it's a matter of _if_."

Breaking ahead of the pack and charging through and beyond them was none other than Tepig, much to everyone's surprise. Charging relentlessly, it was clocking an impressive rate of speed.

"Whoa, I guess Tepig is after Bianca," Ash remarked.

"Look! It went down into the ground!" said Ash, pointing up ahead. "There must be a set of stairs there, or a ramp or something!"

"That's where Team Plasma went!" said May. "And I'll bet there's a locked door at the bottom of those stairs waiting just for us! And if there is, we're going straight through it! With Blaziken, Venusaur, Gigalith, Torterra... there's no way they can stop us from getting in!"

"But what are they doing?" said Ash. "Why did they take her?"

"I'll bet it's a distraction!" Rex suggested. "There's probably something else around here that's important to them, so they're luring us into the ruins to enable a clean getaway with whatever it is they're after!"

At the bottom of the staircase, Tepig was pitifully attempting to ram down a heavy pair of solid steel doors.

"Blaziken!" May commanded. "Help Tepig get that door open! Use as much power as it takes! Hurry!"

Blaziken deftly cleared the distance to the bottom of the stairs and kicked the door with brutal, burning force. A large section of it bent and gave way. Blaziken latched his talons onto the section of newly twisted metal and pulled. The door began to slowly bend like a hot piece of sheet metal, almost as if he was peeling a piece of metallic fruit. With an awfully loud crash, the destroyed door was ripped completely off its hinges and tossed aside like a crumpled sheet of paper.

"Everyone in!" Rex commanded. Wasting no time, he returned the much too large Gigalith and Torterra to their Pokeballs. May did the same with Venusaur. Excadrill continued to stay by his side. Altogether, dashing down the crumbling staircase and into the foreboding hall were Tepig, Blaziken, Ash, Pikachu, May, Wartortle, Glaceon, Beautifly, Rex, and Excadrill, all of them collectively seeking the same goal.

At the end of the hallway was another set of shut and locked doors, this one equally heavy, but with a major difference. This one had frosted glass windows, the kind that were filled with wire on the interior for added strength, and difficult to see through so as to provide just a bit of visibility of who or what was on the other side, but no more.

From inside came a deeply upsetting sound.

"_No!_" Bianca screamed shrilly. "_What are you doing? Please, no! STOP!_"

Hidden behind her screams, someone, or something, was crying out in anguish. Those on the outside, on the other side of the door, could all feel their blood running cold.

Tepig rammed headfirst into the door. It fell over limp, motionless.

"_What__'s wrong __with you people?_" Bianca yelled. "_Are you __crazy__? __Stop!_"

At that, Blaziken put his fist cleanly through the wired glass plate. The group collectively flinched. Nobody dared look at the damage Blaziken had surely inflicted on his arm.

"Blaziken!" cried May. "You'll hurt yourself!"

"_Stop __i__t!_" Bianca wailed from the other side, clearly crying now.

Blaziken found himself suddenly, awkwardly, terribly stuck. Trapped, arm shoved in as deep as it could go through the jagged hole, Blaziken tried to pull his arm out through the shattered, tangled mess of the window.

"Blaziken, _what are you doing?_" May shouted. "_Stop!_ You're hurting yourself! They'll see you from the in_-_"

May's voice cut out abruptly. The sounds from inside curdled the blood. The screams, the frenzied yelling of the members of Team Plasma, and the blows being exchanged. It was a nightmare. Blaziken pulled his arm out of the hole in the glass, cut all over. The sight of it made Ash wince and May gasp. Taking Blaziken's place in the relentless assault, Wartortle and Excadrill took to ramming the door.

"Oh no, Blaziken!" May moaned, seeing Blaziken's arm up close.

"We have to get through the door, guys!" Ash yelled, trying to rally everyone.

"Blaziken, break through the door!" May commanded, trying to maintain her composure despite the horror of it all. "Do whatever you have to, just hurry!"

Flames erupting around his ankles, Blaziken pulled up and drove a burning foot solidly into the door. It gave considerably, bending open inwardly into the room beyond.

"Again!" May commanded.

Blaziken pounded on it again, this time the door bending even further. The open space wasn't nearly large enough for Blaziken to crawl through, but perhaps a human, or something smaller.

Without warning, Tepig dashed inside.

"Excadrill, inside, now!" Rex ordered.

Diving through the open slot, Excadrill snapped into its drill form and slid through into the other room. Without waiting for any sort of command, Pikachu followed.

"Pikachu, wait-" Ash started to call, but it was far too late. He could already hear the crackling of electricity over Pikachu's body as he prepared to release a strike of lightning upon everyone inside.

Wartortle also wasted no time. May had no time to say a thing before it was under the gap and on the other side. Glaceon quickly followed. May didn't bother protesting. She had other things on her mind.

"_Again!_" May ordered Blaziken.

This time, Blaziken backed off a distance, erupted in flame all over, and rammed into the door with Flare Blitz. Upon contact, forward progress did not stop. The door gave completely, Blaziken falling into the room along with the broken metal frame.

The group awaiting entry burst through the doorway like water rushing out of a crack in a dam. The scene on the inside paralyzed and infuriated them all. In the nearest corner of the room, Bianca lay on the floor struggling to get up, her hat dislodged and several feet away on the ground, clearly having been hit in the head to silence her. It hadn't worked, and she continued sobbing uncontrollably. Her eyes appeared to be focused on the scene on the far side of the room - the real cause for alarm.

Down on the ground there, at the feet of several members of Team Plasma, was a Munna.

"Either make the Dream Mist or the beating continues!" one of the grunts standing over it yelled, livid.

"Do it NOW!" roared another grunt. "RIGHT NOW!"

For those there, the scene felt like it was moving in slow motion. Pikachu, Glaceon, Wartortle, and Excadrill were tearing through the room, knocking out Team Plasma members left and right, trying to end the madness as soon as possible. In the wake of all the shocks and strikes, beyond all the fallen grunts, the Munna was clearly struggling for its life. No longer able to float or even so much as stand, it was slumped down on the floor in a puddle of its own blood. Battered and bruised all over, it wailed in desperation.

As Tepig rushed over to Bianca's side, one of the grunts pulled back his leg and delivered a sharp kick directly to Munna's flank - one of what had clearly been many, many blows. The helpless creature cried out in pain.

The world seemed like it was spinning and twisting in strange ways. They all began to wonder if Team Plasma had yet another plan as they saw the room begin to flood with a pink gas. But then, reality fragmented and nothing made much sense any longer.

"What are you fools doing?" Ghetsis demanded.

Throughout the room, the Team Plasma grunts froze and ceased their actions. There was a deathlike silence. Standing clearly in the center of the room was a man clad in purple and gold robes. His stature and his drawling voice were unmistakable.

"This is completely unacceptable!" Ghetsis said sternly. "Your foolish actions have ruined this mission!"

Ghetsis disappeared, but then reappeared on another side of the room immediately.

"You have disregarded my commands! I told you all very clearly to not resort to this senseless violence to achieve our goals!"

Once more, Ghetsis vanished and reappeared, again in an altogether different location.

"You have allowed yourselves and your inexcusable mistakes to be observed by circumstantial onlookers! Should word of these events get out to the general public it will ruin Team Plasma's credibility! Have I not told you simpletons that our purpose is for the greater good of all people and Pokemon in the world? There is no way that we will be able to show people the way to enlightenment if the populace believes that we are violent, cruel, and outright idiotic!"

For his final statement, Ghetsis appeared in three places all at once. His presence literally surrounded his subjects.

"This is an inexcusable transgression against Team Plasma! Every single one of you deserves to lose your place among our ranks for this farce of an effort! Never have I been so embarrassed and utterly disappointed in my fellow followers of the True Way. This mission is over, effective immediately. Abort! Return to our base of operations at once, and may you all pray that I don't see fit to offer you a fate far worse than punishment."

The room became a frenzied hive. As soon as Ghetsis had vanished, every member of Team Plasma began to panic. Incoherent shouting echoed raucously throughout the room. As if being chased by a manifestation of pure evil, they all fled posthaste. Not a single one of them laid so much as a finger on Munna or any of the other people or Pokemon present. They left with hardly a trace, the only sign of their handiwork the injured Pokemon on the floor.

The quiet stillness that replaced the frenzy was heartbreaking. The only sound was of Munna's labored breathing. Nobody dared to approach. Nobody was sure what they could do.

Another sound, however, caused them all to freeze in fear. There was someone coming down the stairs, a set of stairs on the opposite side of the room. Someone in a lab coat, with very long blue hair, and glasses.

She stood at the bottom of the stairs with her hand over her heavy heart, her face practically aching with worry. A pink Pokemon floated in the air next to her, one that looked rather similar to the one on the ground. A strange gas seemed to emanate from the Pokemon's snout.

"I'm so sorry you all had to witness that atrocity," the woman with the Pokemon said to them. "It was nothing more than a bad coincidence, but still, I wish we could have made it here much sooner. Musharna sensed that something was terribly wrong here, so we came as quickly as we could, but not in time to prevent what those awful people did to this innocent Munna... At the very least, Musharna was able to successfully use its Dream Mist to drive them away from this place."

Floating ahead of her, Musharna hovered over to its battered kin. Together, the two shut their eyes and seemed to enter a state of meditation.

"Ghetsis..." Ash began, unsure how to proceed. "That vision of him was a dream?"

"It was," the woman told him with a nod. "A collective dream from the minds of those gathered here. A rather sensible one, too, oddly. Although I cannot possibly side with him for being the one who evidently commanded his followers to commit this act, I do agree with what he said about it being a poorly conceived plan. I'm not at all sure why those people decided to drag you into this. Perhaps it really was out of their own obliviousness."

"But what can we do for that Pokemon?" May asked her. "If there even is anything we can do..."

"Musharna and I will handle this from here," the woman told her. "Musharna has been known in the past as the Trance Pokemon. It has the ability to instill a state of deep meditation and withdrawal from reality both in itself and in others. With this power, we'll be able to put Munna into a deep sleep so that its body will focus its energy on physical needs instead of mental exertion. That will give us the time necessary to get Munna into treatment, and we should be able to save its life."

The room went silent once more. The onlookers watched as Musharna lifted Munna into the air via telekinesis.

"I know this is an awfully sudden interjection of me, but I really must be going," the woman told them. "I need to escort Munna and Musharna out of here immediately."

"Where are you going?" asked Ash. "To the Pokemon Center?"

"No, to my laboratory," the woman said, shaking her head. "I can treat Munna more adequately there by myself."

"You can?"

"Yes," she replied. "I have quite a bit of experience with this species of Pokemon. You all can follow me, if you'd like. My lab is not far from the Pokemon Center, actually. If you ask Nurse Joy, she'll know where to send you. My name is Fennel, by the way."

There was silence for a moment as Fennel paused.

"Just make sure you're all okay before you try to follow me. You should be safe here now. This place has been completely deserted ever since my initial experiments in Dream Mist research went horribly wrong and decimated this entire facility. That, combined with its state of overgrowth, is how it came to be known as the Dreamyard..."

Fennel hung her head momentarily, a deep frown crossing her countenance. She allowed it to be seen for no more than a moment, as she abruptly picked up again and ascended the stairs, following her levitating Pokemon.

The awful hush of aftermath took hold again, this time for the last time. Whispering faintly through the calm was Bianca's voice, directed at Tepig. Tepig was curled up in her arms, and Rex was helping Bianca sit up, lifting her upright.

"I'm okay, Tepig," she said softly. "I'm going to be just fine. Thank you so much for coming after me."

Several pairs of eyes watched Rex as he took Tepig from Bianca and awkwardly held the Pokemon at arm's length. He bore an understated smile on his face. It was an odd sort of expression, one of many emotions, but perhaps mostly of appreciation and respect.

"You're very brave," he said to Tepig, setting it down on the ground. "Bianca is lucky to have you watching over her."

Tepig stared at Rex as he sat down next to Bianca and propped her upright, leaning her against his shoulder.

"I'll take care of her from here," Rex said to Tepig. "You have my word."

Bianca, who seemed to be fading in and out of consciousness, opened her eyes and found herself very nearly in the arms of a strange, long-haired man. She looked up at him.

"Hi..." she whispered to Rex.

"Hi," Rex quietly replied. "I'm no doctor, but if you ask me, I think you'll be just fine in a day or two. It looks like one of those grunts hit you in the head, but I don't see any other injuries."

"Good..." she whispered back to him.

"Just rest now," said Rex.

"Mhmm..." Bianca replied with a slow nod.

Ash and May had long since stopped paying attention. Seeing Rex sit down, it mutually dawned upon them that sitting might be a really good idea after all that stress. The concrete floor felt more welcoming than it should have.

"That was really, _really_ scary," May said, leaning her back against the wall.

"It was," Ash replied. "Normally I guess I'd try to shrug it off, you know, but..."

He trailed off. He couldn't think of anything more to say. Ash had little time to ponder the matter, though. He felt May slip her hand into his, and his heart began to pound furiously.

"Thank goodness we've got each other," May said.

"Yeah," Ash replied, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.


	10. Lucidity

**Author's Note:** By the end of this chapter, the plot will have passed the point that it reached in the original version of this story. To mark the occasion, I have an update on my profile discussing future posts, where we are, and where we're headed.

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Ten - Lucidity<span>

Ash looked up at the number on the building. It matched what Nurse Joy told them, but it didn't seem quite right. He felt like this situation was becoming too familiar.

"I guess this is the place," he said, looking doubtfully back at the rest of the group. May had her hands on her hips as she looked up at the number, her expression mirroring his.

"It's the right address, isn't it?" she said.

"Yeah," said Ash, "but it looks way too small for a lab, don't you think?"

May nodded. Behind her, Rex stood with an arm around Bianca's shoulders, helping keep her upright. Although Bianca was dazed and staring listlessly at the ground, Rex also looked at their destination with suspicion. It was a small, drab, nondescript apartment building.

"We might as well see if she's here," said May, shrugging.

Ash nodded back at her, then pressed the doorbell. Everyone could hear a quiet chime come from inside. About ten seconds later, the door opened.

A girl stood in the doorway, wearing a light blue dress and glasses. She seemed to be in her early teens, a few years younger than anyone else present. She did not appear to be thrilled to be answering the door.

"Hello?" she said, raising an eyebrow. She clearly did not recognize any of them, nor was she expecting company.

"Hi, I'm Ash," said Ash. "We're looking for Fennel. Is this the right place?"

Through the open door, from what Ash could see, every square inch of the room before him was covered in computer parts and other varieties of electronic equipment. There wasn't any furniture to be seen.

The girl sighed and bowed her head in apparent exasperation.

"Yes," she groaned. She then turned her head and yelled into the depths of the apartment. "Fennel! You've got visitors!"

From within, Ash heard a faint reply. The voice was Fennel's, but now that she was raising her voice, her tone was jarringly different from the calm, serene way she had spoken to them in the Dreamyard.

"_Tell them to come in!_"

The girl gave everyone a sideways glance.

"Well, you heard her," she said. She stepped inside and held the door open and waved them inside. "Sorry about the mess. Watch your step."

Her advice turned out to be well-warranted. Tangled wires lay crossed and knotted all over the floor. There were a few narrow passages through which to walk, and the rest of the room was completely unnavigable.

Ash looked up toward the ceiling. Unidentifiable computer equipment towered over him.

"What is this place?" he said.

The girl, leading the way toward the back of the room, turned back to face him.

"This is my server room," she said.

"Your server room?" Ash echoed back at her.

"Yep! That's right!" the girl said, giggling with pride. "My name is Amanita. I run the Pokemon storage system here in Unova."

Everyone halted. Heads swiveled around, looking in astonishment at the mess that surrounded them. They were inside the nexus of all Pokemon transfer activity in the nation.

"Does that mean that every Pokemon that gets sent through a PC in Unova comes through _here?_" asked May.

"It does," said Amanita, nodding. "All the devices you see in here help send Pokemon where they need to go. It takes a lot of power to transfer something as complicated as a Pokemon from one place to another. And if you mess up the routing, it can get sent to the wrong trainer, or worse."

"Worse?" said Ash. "What's worse than that?"

"Data being corrupted, making the Pokemon irretrievable. Or a Pokemon getting sent to more than one place... _simultaneously._"

Both Ash and May looked at Amanita in slight horror, struck by the implications of what she had just said.

"Can that seriously happen?" said Ash, feeling a bit squeamish.

"It's never happened here in Unova on my watch," said Amanita. "We've never had a Pokemon get lost or corrupted or any other kind of accident, but it can happen. That's why this is my full-time job."

Fennel appeared in the doorway behind Amanita. She was wearing a pair of latex gloves.

"Amanita, are you scaring our guests?" she said.

"I'm not scaring them!" said Amanita. "I'm just being honest about the dangers of my job!"

Fennel gave Amanita a resigned glance, then looked back up at everyone else.

"The detail she's leaving out is that the system has built-in failsafes to ensure that data corruption never happens. The Pokemon's data is transmitted first and checked for consistency with the original before the hard transfer occurs. If there's a problem, the transfer never happens. The system has operated that way for decades. My sister here just likes to make it sound more dangerous than it really is."

"Your sister?" said May. "But-"

May didn't mean to gawk, but she couldn't help it. As she stared, she saw an undeniable resemblance, but Amanita was young enough to be Fennel's daughter. There must have been twenty years separating the two.

"Our parents had us quite a few years apart," said Fennel. "I know it's strange."

"Since I work independently and have all this equipment, our parents let me live with Fennel here," said Amanita.

May thought she noticed the slightest hint of annoyance on Fennel's otherwise serene face. She got the impression that Amanita's aforementioned equipment had something to do with it.

"Please, come back to my laboratory," said Fennel. "Musharna and I were able to stabilize Munna."

"That's awesome!" said Ash.

"Thank goodness..." Bianca said wearily, trailing behind the group. Rex was helping to guide her through the maze of wires.

As the group followed Fennel to the rear of the building, where her lab was located, Amanita broke away from them and disappeared into another room. From the brief glimpse Ash caught of the interior, that room was filled with computers, too.

Fennel's lab, on the other hand, seemed to consist of nothing more than a pair of beds and a few monitors hanging throughout the room. It looked more like a hospital room than a laboratory. Heavily bandaged, Munna lay in one of the beds, and Musharna hovered silently above it. A pink aura of energy surrounded both of them. They seemed to be connected through a trance.

"This is your lab?" Ash said skeptically.

"It is," said Fennel, nodding to him. "It may not look like much, but this is where Musharna and I conduct our research on Pokemon dreams."

"Pokemon dreams?" said May. "I guess that explains the beds."

"It does," said Fennel. "Most of our research consists of getting Pokemon to fall asleep here in these beds. After they're asleep, Musharna feeds on their dreams. Once Musharna has eaten a dream, it can then project it by emitting a substance called Dream Mist."

"Wait, what do you mean _project _it?" said May. "Does that mean that Musharna can show us what Pokemon are dreaming?"

"That's crazy!" said Ash. "Is it true?"

"It's not as crazy as you might think," said Fennel told them with a smile, holding up a finger as she made her point. "We're testing a device here that can do what Musharna does, but without Musharna being involved. The device will be able to monitor a Pokemon while it sleeps and record its dreams as if they were a video, showing them to us on a screen."

Ash scratched his head.

"That's really neat and all, but why would you even want to do that?" he said.

"I was wondering the same thing," said May.

"The reason for doing this is to better understand the minds of both Pokemon and people," said Fennel. "Most people don't realize it, but dreams are actually a visual manifestation of our unconscious thoughts."

Ash stared at Fennel blankly.

"Uh..." he said, totally ignorant.

"I guess I should explain, shouldn't I?" Fennel said rhetorically. "I suppose you've heard the common myth that we only use ten percent of our brains?"

"I don't know about ten percent," said May, "but I do remember it being a low number."

"The number itself doesn't really matter," said Fennel. "The statement made in that myth isn't quite accurate. While it _is _true that only a small percentage is being used for conscious thought at any given time, the rest of the brain isn't sitting completely idle. The parts of the brain that aren't being used for conscious thought are actually engaged in _subconscious _thought almost all the time. Our minds are constantly thinking about things and coming up with ideas, and we aren't aware of any of it. Not until we go to sleep, at least."

"What happens when we go to sleep?" said Ash.

"We dream," Fennel replied with a clever look, as if her statement was some kind of incredible solution.

"Okay," said Ash, tilting his head to the side. "So, what does dreaming have to do with this?"

"Have you ever wondered what dreams actually are?" Fennel asked him in return.

"I guess," Ash replied with a shrug.

"Our dreams are the byproduct of our brains trying to reorganize things," Fennel said. "When we sleep, our bodies undergo all kinds of restorative processes. Tissues mend themselves, repairing little tears. Our cuts and scrapes heal, if only a bit each day. Soreness and fatigue are relieved as our muscles relax. Perhaps most importantly, though, it gives our brain time to sort things out, to make sense of everything going on inside of it. Of course, we aren't entirely conscious when we sleep, so our subconscious thoughts get to sneak up to the surface. As these thoughts emerge, the conscious part of the brain has to try to come to an understanding of them, so it runs through them, like film on a projector. When it does, it results in us seeing the thoughts in the movie-like experience we know as a dream."

Ash blinked heavily a couple of times, trying to wrap his mind around it all. He understood what Fennel had said, but the concept was simply enormous.

"So, to summarize," Fennel said, picking up where she left off, "dreams are our brain's attempts to analyze and understand our subconscious thoughts. Everything you've ever seen in a dream is something that was already in your head – you just might not have known it was there."

"Wow," said May, looking into the distance like she was lost in thought. "I've never thought of it that way before."

"It's kind of scary, you know?" Ash said with some difficulty, scratching awkwardly at the back of his neck. The notion made him rather uncomfortable, considering the content of some of his recent dreams.

"Yeah, you said it," May said in agreement. She didn't know it, but the thoughts running through her head mirrored those of Ash. Both of them found what Fennel had told them to be unsettling.

"It's certainly a heavy concept," Fennel admitted. "Dreams work the same way for Pokemon, too. To understand their dreams would enable us to communicate with them on a level we've never been able to communicate before. That's the main inspiration in my work. The technology we're working to develop would help us bridge the communication gap that exists between humans and Pokemon."

Ash thought for a moment. He was still stuck on the idea that dreams were things that were already in his head.

"So, when we all saw Ghetsis, was that something those Team Plasma guys had dreamed?" he asked. "Was Musharna showing us one of their dreams?"

"That's correct," said Fennel. "Musharna can eat and project human dreams with its Dream Mist, too, although usually we don't do that for ethical reasons."

"Ethical reasons?" said Ash.

"Most people wouldn't be comfortable with having their innermost thoughts revealed like that," said Fennel. "Would you?"

Ash felt his face turn unexpectedly warm. His mind started to race with questions. What did this mean about his dream about visiting May?

A few feet away from him, May was trying to hide her embarrassment for almost identical reasons. As May lost herself briefly in a storm of thoughts, she noticed Bianca sitting in a chair next to Munna's bed, leaning against the side of the bed as she worriedly stared.

There was an extended silence. Fennel bit down awkwardly on her lip, concerned that her question had killed the conversation.

"My apologies for rambling for so long!" she said. "I didn't mean to lecture you all. It's just an old habit of mine."

Fennel's embarrassment went unnoticed by everyone except Rex.

"Don't worry about it," he said. "It was enlightening. We appreciate your explanation."

"You're very welcome," Fennel said graciously. "After the debacle at the Dreamyard, I felt like you all deserved some explanation."

"There's one thing I still want to know," said Rex. "You mentioned that your research was part of what destroyed that place. What happened?"

Fennel's graceful expression turned into a frown. Heads throughout the room turned and noticed.

"Honestly, I wish I knew," she said, sighing.

"What do you mean?" asked Ash.

"It's not easy to explain," said Fennel. "There's a lot of technical information involved in it, but the simple version of the story is that the abandoned building you were all in today used to be a chemical plant for an industrial pharmaceutical company, and I worked there when I was just out of college, researching the effects of Dream Mist. One day, the administration authorized the team I was leading to use an increased amount of energy for our normal experiments, but when we performed the tests, something went horribly wrong. I still don't understand why exactly it happened, but the Dream Mist sample we were analyzing detonated. The blast took most of the facility with it."

"How long ago did that happen?" said Rex.

"Almost ten years ago," said Fennel. "The company disbanded its Striaton City branch of operations, and I downsized my experiments and moved in here. I've been studying dreams here with Musharna ever since. In that time, the building has crumbled and decayed into the ruin it is today. My experiments with Dream Mist, and the property's constant state of overgrown disrepair, is how the place came to be known as the Dreamyard."

Fennel bowed her head as she finished her story. She seemed distant, as if lost in thought, ruminating. Silence overtook the room.

Ash looked to May, and May looked back to him. After a few moments of eye contact, Ash looked to Rex, who was standing with his arms folded, gazing at Fennel's machines. Bianca, meanwhile, seemed to be on the verge of sleep, slumped over the edge of Munna's bed.

Ash looked at Fennel. She seemed to notice his eyes on her after a few moments, and snapped back to reality.

"We really appreciate all your help," Ash said. "Thank you."

"Of course!" said Fennel, nodding graciously. "You're quite welcome, but you don't have to thank me, really. When Musharna and I rushed to the Dreamyard, it was only because Musharna sensed that Munna was in trouble. I wish I could say that we went there to stop Team Plasma and save you all, but that simply isn't the case."

Rex half-smiled at Fennel, his eyebrows slightly raised.

"There's no need to be humble about it," he said. "It doesn't matter why you came there or what happened there in the past. You saved lives today. You certainly saved Munna, and you might have saved Bianca, too."

"Definitely," May said in agreement. "I don't know what we would have done without you."

Fennel smiled, almost sadly, as if she were touched.

"You're too kind," Fennel said, quietly.

Bianca raised her head from the mattress on Munna's bed slightly, barely looking up toward Fennel.

"Thank you..." she said, sounding sleepy.

"Certainly," said Fennel.

"...for saving Munna," Bianca said, continuing her sentence.

Fennel looked at Bianca with mild surprise. Bianca failed to notice it, once again resting her head on the side of the bed.

"My head hurts," she said.

Rex gave Fennel an apologetic glance and stepped over to Bianca's side.

"I think it's about time we got Bianca out of here," he said to everyone present. "She needs to lay down and rest."

"Absolutely," said Fennel. "I can help show you all to the front door. It's kind of a mess in here, after all."

Both Ash and May gave Fennel a funny look for her blatant understatement, which seemed to make her blush slightly in embarrassment. With some difficulty, Ash, May, and Rex were able to guide Bianca through the maze of wires and down the front steps. Fortunately, the Pokemon center was not far away.

After another appreciative sendoff, Fennel shut the door behind them. She turned the lock and sighed.

* * *

><p>"Well hello there!" Professor Juniper said.<p>

Fennel smiled back at her through the video receiver.

"Hello, Aurea," she said.

"I'm surprised to hear from you!" Juniper said. "Pleasantly surprised, but surprised nonetheless. What has you calling me this evening?"

"I think I just encountered that group of traveling trainers you told me about," said Fennel.

Professor Juniper looked elated.

"Do you mean Ash, May, and Rex?" she said.

"There was another girl with them, but yes, I met the three of them."

For a moment, Professor Juniper paused, trying to decide which of many questions she should ask first.

"How? What happened? I wouldn't have expected them to run into you!"

Fennel removed her glasses and rubbed her temples with her thumb and forefinger.

"There was an incident in the Dreamyard," she said. "Musharna sensed that there was a Pokemon in danger there, so we went to investigate. I figured it was just a Pokemon that had gotten trapped in the rubble or something minor, but when we arrived, we found a group of henchmen from an organization called Team Plasma savagely beating a Munna for its Dream Mist, and the four traveling trainers were caught up in a melee with them. Musharna put a stop to the mess by using its Dream Mist to cause a mass hallucination that sent Team Plasma running back to their master."

To Fennel's surprise, and mild annoyance, Professor Juniper was smirking back at her in amusement.

"That's typical Ash," Juniper said.

"Typical Ash?" said Fennel. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you hardly know him."

"You are correct," said Juniper, "but I told you about my brief encounter with him. If you recall, something quite extraordinary occurred."

"Yes, I remember," said Fennel. "That unusual storm even made the news. But..."

Fennel failed to finish her sentence, instead biting down on her lip in frustration and shifting her eyes away.

"But what?" Professor Juniper asked her.

"I just didn't get the impression there was anything extraordinary about Ash," said Fennel.

"Well, just like you said about me, you only spent a limited amount of time with him. Something extraordinary happened while I was with him, but not while you were. Even though luck seems to follow him, it doesn't mean that unusual things will constantly be happening around him."

"There are people who have been struck by lightning more than once, and we don't say there's anything special about them," said Fennel. "They were just unfortunate. Or fortunate, depending on your point of view."

"You've heard the stories, though," said Juniper. "Oak has record of more than a dozen cases of unusual encounters, and it's not just him. Rowan and Ivy do, too. Perhaps I should contact Birch..."

Fennel gave Juniper an apologetic look.

"Aurea, I know how much this interests and excites you, but even if all those researchers do have stories, they're still just stories. I don't want to lecture you, but until some kind of plausible underlying factor is discovered, it's all just anecdotal evidence. It's rudimentary and I don't mean to insult you, but correlation does not imply causation."

Professor Juniper sighed. She lowered her eyes.

"You sound just like Oak when I spoke with him," she said.

Fennel frowned at the screen.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"I just really want there to be something there, you know?" said Professor Juniper. "I want to have found something for once."

"Still no breakthroughs?" said Fennel.

"No," Juniper said, shaking her head. "I know not to get discouraged, but that's much more easily said than done."

"I know you would rather not, but have you considered asking your father for help?"

"The last time I heard from him he was in Aspertia City. I have no clue what he was doing there, but he told me there were some interesting developments and that he would be staying there for a while."

"Oh..." said Fennel, looking down. When she looked back up, she had an idea. "Well, maybe it would be best for you if you took a break from it. Why not come work with me for a while? I'd love your help. We could really get some good work done together."

Professor Juniper smiled, but she was reserved.

"I would love to," she said, "but where would I stay? I know you and Amanita are cramped there as it is."

"I don't know, honestly," said Fennel, looking rather embarrassed. "It was just an idea that occurred to me. I hadn't thought it through."

"If you had some more space there, I would do it in a heartbeat," Juniper said. "It's a pity you're stuck there."

Fennel looked downward and frowned.

"It really is," she said.

"It's despicable how long the Dreamyard litigation has been going on," said Juniper. "I can't believe it still isn't over."

"It's almost done," said Fennel. "We've only got two more court dates, and we should win both of them unless the judge is completely crooked."

"When are those?"

"One is in two months, and the other is in six."

"That's really not so far away."

"You're right, it's really not," said Fennel. "I need to start preparing, truthfully."

"Once those are over, you should be done with the case, right?"

"That's right. Then, Amanita and I will finally be able to find a better place than this."

The conversation went silent for a few moments. Fennel pursed her lips once she started to feel a question forming on them, but her resolve quickly broke.

"When will we get to see each other again?" Fennel asked.

"Soon, I hope," said Professor Juniper.

"Me too."

On the other side of the camera, Professor Juniper was biting her lip, too.

"I think you're right about me needing a break," she said. "I don't think I can take up your offer to work with you right now, but I might come visit for a few days."

"Soon?" said Fennel.

"Soon," Professor Juniper said, smiling back at her. After a short pause, she continued. "Talk to you later, okay?"

"Okay," Fennel said with a nod.

"Bye!"

"Bye."

* * *

><p>Pikachu hopped across the counter and onto Ash's arm, reclaiming his spot on Ash's shoulder.<p>

"Thank you for taking care of our Pokemon!" Ash said.

"You're very welcome," Nurse Joy said cordially.

Ash contentedly clipped his pokeballs back onto his belt, but May paused as she looked at hers on the counter.

"What about Blaziken?" she asked. "Is he okay?"

"Blaziken will be just fine," said Nurse Joy. "The cuts looked much worse than they actually were. They weren't deep, and there shouldn't be any lasting damage. We're going to keep Blaziken overnight to make sure the wounds knit properly, and he should be good to go tomorrow."

May looked greatly relieved.

"Thank you!" she said. "I was worried. It was really scary when Blaziken got hurt."

"You said that Blaziken punched through a wire mesh glass window, didn't you?"

May nodded grimly, preferring not to picture the incident again.

"That's right," she said. "It looked like our friend Bianca was in trouble and she was trapped inside a room, so Blaziken punched through the glass in the door to try to get it open. It didn't work, though."

"That was quite a dangerous move," Nurse Joy said. "I hope you didn't tell Blaziken to do that."

May shook her head.

"I didn't. Blaziken did it himself when he heard Bianca and thought she was in danger. He was just trying to help."

Nurse Joy smiled.

"If that's the case, it's admirable that your Blaziken would do that. That must have taken a lot of courage. I think you should be happy knowing that you have a Pokemon that cares about you and your friends so much that it would risk injury for you, and I also think that you can rest assured that Blaziken won't make the mistake of trying to break a window like that again. From what I saw in the triage area, when Audino was patching Blaziken up, she was giving him a firm lecture about how dangerous that was."

May smiled.

"I'm lucky to have Blaziken as my partner," she said. "We've been through a lot together. Please take good care of him tonight."

"I certainly will," Nurse Joy said, bowing slightly before heading back into the treatment area.

At that, May reattached the rest of her pokeballs to her belt, and she and Ash walked back toward the lobby of the Pokemon center.

"I'm sure that Nurse Joy's right that Blaziken will be okay," Ash said.

May gave him a small, hopeful smile. It was bittersweet, but honest.

"Me too," she said.

"What he did for us was really brave," said Ash. "You're totally right that you're lucky to have Blaziken as your partner. He's an awesome Pokemon. You've done a great job training him."

Pikachu chimed in too, voicing his agreement.

"Thanks, you guys," May said bashfully, her small smile growing slightly larger.

Ash pulled one of the pokeballs off his belt and held it up toward May.

"And you know," he said, "one of these days there's a battle that me and you need to finish!"

For a moment, May wasn't sure what Ash meant. Then, it hit her.

"Oh, that must be Sceptile's pokeball!" she said.

Ash nodded, grinning at her.

"Sceptile and Blaziken never got to finish their battle at the contest," he said. "We should settle the score some time."

May looked at him with great determination. This kind of talk was exactly what she needed to help put her mind at ease.

"Definitely," May said. "Are you going to keep Sceptile with you, though?"

Ash clipped Sceptile's ball back onto his belt. He looked a bit uncomfortable.

"I think so," he said, sounding a bit unsure of himself. "I've never tried it before, but I think it might be a good idea to keep some of my more experienced Pokemon with me to help train my newer ones. It's different, but it's worth a shot."

"I think that's a really good idea, actually," said May, sounding rather impressed.

"I'm going to keep Sceptile and Swellow with me for now," said Ash, "but I'm going to send Muk back to Professor Oak. I want to keep a spot on my team open in case I catch anything, just like you."

May rolled her eyes playfully.

"It _is _a pretty awesome idea," she said, sarcastically feigning modesty.

"I think Muk misses Professor Oak, too," said Ash. "Every time I've seen them on camera, Muk has been hugging him."

May giggled, and she gave Ash an incredulous look.

"I think that's just Muk's personality," she said.

Out in the lobby, the two of them found Rex seated on a bench, gazing listlessly at a television monitor. As they approached, he noticed them and rose to his feet.

"Where's Bianca?" Ash asked him.

"She's in our room. Sleeping, I hope," Rex said. "She really needed to lay down. She needs to rest."

"Did she say if she wanted anything for dinner?" asked May.

"No," said Rex, shaking his head. "I'm not sure she even knows where she is right now. She was really out of it." He paused briefly and gave May an apologetic look. "I had her lay down in the lower bunk. I know that's usually your spot, but there was no way she could get into the top one tonight."

"It's okay," said May. "I understand. I can take the top bunk tonight, no problem."

"So are we going to get dinner?" said Ash. "I'm super hungry!"

"Yeah, I thought that's what we were doing," said May.

"You two enjoy yourselves this evening," said Rex. "I think I'm going to head out alone."

"Alone?" Ash said, quite confused. "Why?"

"Well, I was planning on going to the tavern a few blocks down from here," said Rex.

"Oh, right..." May said awkwardly, understanding exactly why Rex intended to go alone. She and Ash were both too young to go with him.

Rex pointed with his thumb toward the television monitor, which currently was airing what appeared to be some kind of preview ad for a basketball game.

"Opelucid is playing Icirrus tonight," he said. "It's the playoffs! Huge rivalry. I have to go watch."

"Gotcha," May said knowingly. It was such a typical guy thing. To her amusement, Ash didn't seem to understand.

"Well, if that's what you wanna do, I guess," Ash said, scratching his head.

"It's okay!" said May. "We can still go get dinner together. It'll be fun!"

Right away, Ash snapped back to focusing on food.

"Yes, please," Ash groaned. "I'm starving."

Rex nodded at the two of them, then waved.

"I think I'll be on my way out now," he said. "I'll be back late tonight. See you guys."

* * *

><p>Much later that evening, May found herself settling into the top bunk above Bianca, and her meal of noodles settling comfortably in her stomach. Under normal circumstances, their usual sleeping arrangements had her on the bottom bunk, but with Bianca presently incapacitated, that wasn't possible. Climbing wasn't really May's thing, but she managed.<p>

Now, May stared at the ceiling as she tried to drift off to sleep, finding it much closer to her face than normal. Across the room, in the other top bunk, Ash was already fast asleep. As satisfying as dinner had been, sleep was still eluding her, and with both Ash and Bianca out like rocks, she felt alone. She was growing restless. Her eyes didn't want to cooperate with her. Every time she shut them, a short while later they would spring open again. It was like her brain didn't want her to sleep.

That notion made May think. She recalled what Fennel had told them about dreams and their origins, and how their brains were trying to sort things out. If that was really how it worked, then this would be the best time for her to sleep and dream, because with everything that had happened during the day, there was lots to sort out. It made her inability to fall asleep even more frustrating.

Perhaps even more frustrating, though, was the notion that everything in her dreams was something that was already inside her brain. If that was true, what did her dreams say about her?

* * *

><p>May quite suddenly found herself walking on a sidewalk. It was a gray, cold, wet day. She knew it was wet because she could feel it on her feet. They were bare.<p>

As she looked down, she saw that most of her body was bare. She had on nothing but a plain white shirt. It was fortunately several sizes too large and covered much, much more of her than one that fit her properly would, but it was still nowhere near what she would be comfortable wearing in public, let alone in this weather.

She knew exactly where she was. She was in Petalburg City. The trouble, though, was that she was on the opposite side of the city from her home. She had nothing with her at all – not even her usual bag. She couldn't have hailed a taxi or taken a bus even if she wanted to, courtesy of her lack of money.

There was good news, though. Nobody seemed to notice her. It was going to be a long walk, but she could certainly make it home. She decided she should try to make it as quick as possible, though. The fewer people who saw her, the better. She didn't even want to think about what would happen if a police officer found her. How would she ever be able to explain that to her parents? How do you talk your way out of trouble when you're found half-naked and alone on the other side of the city?

Several cars passed by her. The reality began to sink in regarding how long this walk was going to take. It was going to be hours. Up ahead, she noticed a familiar convenience store, one she had visited a few times before. It wasn't like she could get anything, but she felt compelled to stop by.

For a moment, May realized that she fell short of the "no shirt, no shoes, no service" policy posted in the store's window, but she forgot that thought entirely when she saw all the people there. There were throngs of people all around the store. It was like there was some kind of event going on. There were food vendors on the sidewalk, with lines of people waiting to be served. From what May could see, it all seemed to be free. Naturally, free food was of great interest to her.

Just as she was considering if she should get in line, she found her parents among the crowd.

"Ah, there you are!" Caroline said to May as she walked over to her.

For a moment, May was utterly mortified. The unthinkable was happening. Her parents were going to see her lost and barely clothed. It was going to be the end of her life as she knew it.

Or, at least she thought it was, until she realized that just like everyone else around, her parents didn't notice, either. Caroline and Norman stood there with her as if there was nothing out of the ordinary at all. May felt her panic turn into immense relief. If there was anyone who could help get her out of this crazy situation, it was them. She would be safe now.

"Are you ready for the gala?" Caroline asked her.

May had no idea what her mother was talking about. She looked around. It seemed she had misunderstood the situation. These weren't food vendors on the sidewalk at all. They were caterers. This was some kind of formal gathering. They didn't have food carts; they had tables with white tablecloths and fancy heated serving trays. Everyone was dressed well, including the service staff.

Except for her, of course.

May got in line with her parents. Their wait seemed to pass in an instant. Before she knew what was happening, she had a plate full of food and was sitting down with them at a table. There was a stage a short distance away. It looked like the stage was being set up for someone to come out and speak. Meanwhile, May bit into a slice of bread. It was unbelievably salty.

An unfamiliar figure appeared on the stage and walked up to the podium.

"Good afternoon everyone. I'd like to formally welcome you all to the fifty-ninth annual Coordinators Association Charity Gala."

There was mild applause. May looked around, confused. This was an event for coordinators?

"At this time, we would like to welcome some distinguished guests to the stage."

May continued to look around the tables, becoming more confused by the moment. What distinguished guests could there possibly be here? She didn't recognize anyone.

"Winner of the Kanto Grand Festival, Solidad!"

May wasn't sure how she missed Solidad earlier, but it certainly was her. She looked absolutely radiant. May figured she must have had her hair professionally done for her appearance here. The black dress she wore couldn't have fit her more perfectly. She looked flawless. It made May uncomfortably shrink in her seat. She was well beneath the dress code for this event.

"Winner of the Johto Grand Festival, Drew!"

May froze. How could she have missed Drew, of all people? How had he missed her? It didn't make sense. However, as she looked down at her bare legs, she was glad they hadn't encountered one another. May knew that if Drew saw her in this situation, he would never let her live it down.

After the initial shock passed her, another one hit her. Drew had won the Johto Grand Festival? How had she not heard about this? It was unbelievable, but yet as she watched drew step up to the stage, he was sharply dressed and had a certain swagger in his step. His body language betrayed the truth.

"Winner of the Sinnoh Grand Festival, Zoey!"

Zoey looked on-point, just as May remembered her. It was no surprise at all to hear that she had won the Sinnoh Grand Festival. It was clear at the Wallace Cup that she was a formidable coordinator. What was truly surprising to May, though, was to see Zoey in a pantsuit for an event like this. May knew how slight Zoey's figure really was. How could she not show it off a little when she got the chance?

"Winner of the Wallace Cup, Dawn!"

Speaking of slight figures, May felt a pang of envy in her stomach the second she laid eyes on Dawn. Her ensemble practically oozed class. The little black dress she wore showed off plenty of leg, and it was accompanied by black gloves which went up past her elbows. She was sleek. She was elegant. She looked like something from a high fashion magazine. May looked down at her bare legs, far thicker and less shapely than Dawn's. She was the opposite of what Dawn was right now. She was a mess.

"Winner of the Terracotta Contest, Ash!"

May's heart stopped as she watched a tuxedo-clad Ash make his way onto the stage. This wasn't right at all. Nobody had won that contest. They tied for first place. If anything, Ash was only a co-winner. It wasn't even an official contest! Why was he being honored for it? Why wasn't she being recognized for it, too? Why was he standing so close to Dawn on the stage? Why was his arm around her?

"Winner of the Ever Grande Conference, Max!"

Max walked up onto the stage. May sat limp in her chair, completely stunned. She didn't move. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her parents jump out of their seats and cheer far louder than anyone else present. May was silent. Max hadn't even been on his journey for a year. How could he have won the Hoenn Pokemon League already? How could he have done it without her knowing about it?

"Isn't this amazing, honey?" Caroline said to May, grabbing her by the shoulders and jostling her in excitement. May looked up at her mother and saw tears streaming down her face. "He's a champion!"

"That's my boy!" Norman said, clapping with tremendous conviction. "He's done this family and the Petalburg Gym proud."

May felt her eyes start to glaze over as she stared directly ahead. Why wasn't she up there, too?

She felt the whole scene start to retreat from her vision, and then her senses slipped away. In a moment's time, what she felt and what she felt like were precisely the same – nothing.


End file.
